Thanks to the dog, they got their daughter back home, alive and healthy.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on November 14, 2022. It has since been updated.
An 8-year-old Boston Terrier is being hailed a hero after he saved his parents' human child from the brink of death. According to Good Morning America, he alerted his owners that their 9-month-old baby was in need of help.
Jeff and Kelly Dowling of Connecticut said their little one was asleep in the nursery when their dog, named Henry, began acting strange. He repeatedly kept barging into the nursery and waking the baby.
"He was head-butting the door open and going into her room and standing there," Kelly Dowling said. "And every time I shooed him away, he would go back in as soon as my back was turned."
But the good boy never gave up; he was persistent because he knew the little one was in danger. Suspicious of their pet's behavior, they went into the nursery, where they found that their daughter—who had a cold—was having trouble breathing.
Last night the dog kept breaking into the nursery and waking the baby. She’s been sick, and I was getting so fed up with him.
— kelly andrew 🍂 (@KayAyDrew) December 14, 2021
Until she stopped breathing.
We spent the night in the hospital. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t woken her. We don’t deserve dogs. pic.twitter.com/PBJCJVflgh
"She wasn't clearing her airway," said Kelly. "She started to turn blue and go rigid and she just really couldn't she couldn't get air, couldn't get any oxygen."
The worried parents then rushed their daughter to the hospital, where doctors were able to clear out her airways.
In an interview with NBC Connecticut, Kelly said Henry typically hides under the couple's bed when scolded. But this time was different. The dog continued to push the nursery door open until Kelly realized her daughter had stopped breathing.
The grateful couple even took to social media to share images of the wonderful moment, grateful to have their little one alive.
Thanks for all the well wishes, everyone. The baby is doing much better today and we are home with Henry, who bravely held the fort all night even though he is scared of the dark. pic.twitter.com/dKem0kXQzs
— kelly andrew 🍂 (@KayAyDrew) December 14, 2021
"Last night the dog kept breaking into the nursery and waking the baby. She’s been sick, and I was getting so fed up with him. Until she stopped breathing. We spent the night in the hospital. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t woken her. We don’t deserve dogs," she wrote.
In one of the photos she uploaded from Snapchat, the mother wrote, "He keeps pushing open the baby's door with his battering ram head so he can sniff at her."
They got their daughter back home, alive and healthy, and they couldn't stop showing their first child with lots of love and affection. "We're definitely spoiling the dog a little bit more," said Jeff. "He was allowed to sleep in bed with me last night and he's got a steak in his future."
Since this thread is still doing numbers I would like to shout out the ER department at @ctchildrens for being literal heroes. Not just for our LO but night after night, patient after patient. They go above and beyond in their care, and it shows ❤️
— kelly andrew 🍂 (@KayAyDrew) December 14, 2021
Added Kelly of the family pet, "He's never done anything quite so heroic before."
References:
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/family/story/hero-dog-credited-saving-babys-life-81788578
https://twitter.com/KayAyDrew/status/1470666853911572482
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/hero-dog-warns-parents-of-babys-medical-emergency/2673103/
Cover Image Source: Twitter | kelly andrew (@KayAyDrew)
