Shelter Dog Senses Man’s Seizure at Adoption Event—Then Finds Her Perfect Match

In April of this year, a stray dog named Sienna was found roaming the streets of Virginia. The 3- to 5-year-old pup quickly impressed shelter staff at Friends of Campbell County Animal Control with her sweet personality, love for children, and an affectionate streak that earned her the title of “best kisser.” They knew she was special—but an encounter at an adoption event on June 7 revealed just how extraordinary she truly is.

The volunteer-run shelter wrote on Facebook:

“Today at our adoption event, something extraordinary happened.

“Sienna, one of our sweetest shelter dogs, was calmly making her rounds—tail wagging, soaking up love from everyone she met. Then, all at once, she gently broke away from the crowd and walked straight up to a man she had never met.

“She sat quietly at his feet, refused to budge, and softly placed her paw on his leg. It wasn’t a trick. It wasn’t prompted. It was pure intuition.

“Moments later, the man’s wife approached and gasped: “My husband is either having a seizure or is about to have one!”

The man, Josh Davis, has epilepsy and he was indeed about to have a seizure. He and his wife Kristen later told Good Morning America that Josh had forgotten to take his medications that morning. Without any training, Sienna did what a medical alert dog would do, she alerted them.

“Sienna knew. Before any human saw the signs, she knew,” Friends of Campbell County Animal Control continued.

“This is the kind of magic that shelter dogs carry inside them—unspoken wisdom, deep empathy, and an unfailing ability to connect with us in our most vulnerable moments. Sienna wasn’t trained to do this. She simply felt it.

“We’ve always known Sienna is special. But today, she reminded us that sometimes the ones we rescue are the ones who end up rescuing.”

Josh and Kristen would have loved to adopt Sienna, but they already have three rescue dogs. Josh says he’ll be more mindful about remembering his medications moving forward.

As Sienna’s story began to spread in the news, the shelter received a flood of adoption applications. But the one that was accepted had actually come in before her newfound talent was discovered. In what could only be described as kismet, the Sweeney family—whose oldest son happens to have epilepsy—was chosen.

Shelter staff wrote that the family has a strong commitment to adopting from the shelter. They wrote, “Sienna has two human brothers, and has chosen her special human already. She immediately loved the family!”

Sienna is now settling in beautifully in her new home. The Sweeneys say she’s affectionate, laid-back, and the perfect addition to their family.

To support Friends of Campbell County Animal Control visit their website.