Heroic Dog Leads Stranger To Two Unconscious People Needing Life-Saving Help

Gary Thynes was at a Pittsburgh dog park playing with his dog when a Pit Bull came up to him crying and desperately trying to get his attention. When Thynes tried to get close to the dog, the dog would take a few steps away and bark, as if beckoning Thynes to follow him.

“It felt like he was trying to get my attention. And I got this overwhelming feeling that he wanted me to follow him,” he told WTAE-TV Pittsburgh.

Thynes decided to follow after the distressed dog and left his dog in the care of a friend at the park. He soon realized the dog was trying to save two lives. The dog lead him to a wooded area near the railroad tracks.

“He led me to a tent encampment with two [people],” Thynes told WTAE. “At first, I saw just one gentleman. I tried to get his attention to wake him up, but he wouldn’t. He was completely unresponsive. I couldn’t even tell if he was breathing or not.”

He continued, “And then I turned around and noticed a pair of legs sticking out of a tent, and I tried to shake them, and it was a woman who would not respond to me either.”

Thynes immediately called 911, knowing time was of the essence. Police and medics arrived within minutes and took the people to hospital, according to the news station. No updates on their condition have been provided.

Thynes knows that their dog is to thank for rescuing them. “He’s amazing. He definitely saved some lives,” he said.

Thynes offered to take the dog home after animal control reported to the scene. He later shared on Facebook:

“Animal control said they had to take the dog to the pound, far outside the city. I figured that these folks wouldn’t be able to get out there to get him back … much less be able to afford the fees to get him out. So I said that I would take the dog home with me.”

He also said he gave his number to the social worker who responded to the incident and “told her to tell [the man and woman] I would keep the dog safe, and if they would, I would keep the dog for a while if they wanted to go get treatment.”

When he got home Thynes looked the courageous dog and noted, “I got a good look at this little hero. He’s pretty thin, and it seems like he has a pretty bad infection in his eye … so I’m going to do whatever I can to help this little guy out the way that he helped save his owners’ lives.”

He added that it’s “an honor” to help care for the dog.

“I know how important the unconditional love of your dog can be, and how much love they have for you,” he wrote. “So it is an honor for me to take care of this guy until his humans are well enough to reunite with a dog that loves them very much.”