Meet 5 Rescue Dogs Who Went On To Save The Lives Of Their Owners

Little did these five pet-owners realize when they decided to adopt rescue dogs in need of a loving home that one day their new pets would then go on to return the favor.

Here are five remarkable cases of formerly unwanted dogs who did just that -- proving to be not just loyal companions, but actual heroes.

Duke

When tragedy nearly struck a young family in Portland, Oregon, it was their dog Duke who stepped in to save the day. Jenna Brousseau and her husband were sound asleep after tucking in their 9-week-old daughter when Duke, who had been rescued from a shelter 6 years earlier, began jumping on the couple's bed and shaking them awake.

"He is insanely obedient, so this is extremely bizarre," Jenna told news station WSFB.

Because of Duke's odd behavior, the Brousseaus just knew that there was something wrong. They hurried to check on the sleeping baby and discovered that she had stopped breathing.

"My husband called 911 and the ambulance came here and it was because of our Dukey dog, who alerted us," says the thankful pet-owner.

Fortunately, paramedics arrived just in time to take the child to the hospital where she was revived -- all thanks to Duke's quick thinking.

"I tell him all the time, 'You were born in mommy's heart,' just because he was so meant to be ours," Jenna says.

Bear

Retired detective Carolyn Swinson and her 9-year-old grandson were asleep when a fire broke out in their Long Island home. As smoke began to fill the house, Carolyn's dog Bear ran into her room and jumped on her bed, waking her up with enough time to grab the child and escape. Amazingly, the mastiff mix had been adopted just two weeks prior, after being found abandoned by its former owner.

Carolyn's neighbor credits Bear's quick thinking with saving their life: "That dog is a hero -- they were dead asleep but he woke them up."

Snickers

A border collie/pointer cross named Snickers had recently been saved from an animal shelter by owner Gregory Gould -- but it wasn't long before he had the chance to return the favor. When Gregory, who uses a breathing-machine, collapsed in his Oshawa, Canada home, Snickers went above and beyond to get help. The dog knocked out a glass panel leading into the backyard, then broke a barricade to get to out front.

Son Jeff Gould says that neighbors reported seeing Snickers "going from one house to the other," until someone decided to check on Gregory and called paramedics. "My father has always rescued animals, it was his turn to be rescued," he says.

Hunter

When the McLarty family adopted a young puppy from their local animal rescue center, they had no idea that just two week later he would go on to save their lives. The family had been fast asleep when their new dog Hunter began to whimper and cry uncontrollably. Assuming he needed to go to the bathroom, owner Jill took the puppy outside, but he continued to act upset.

Jill then took Hunter into bed with her and tried to sooth him, though the puppy was inconsolable -- and the family soon learned why.

"He took off into the kitchen, so I followed him and I turned on the kitchen light and he was sitting next to the stove, just crying," Jill says. "So I glanced at it and that's when I noticed the burner on."

What the McLartys hadn't realized was that, as they slept, their home was slowly filling with gas -- and if it weren't for Hunter's insistence, they may not have noticed before it was too late.

"He saved our lives. Anything could have happened that night," says husband Tim. "As cliche as it sounds, the life you save may save yours."

Roman

A heroic dog named Roman has been credited with saving the life of his 13-year-old owner who was on the verge of committing suicide in Chengdu, China.

The mutt, whom the young girl had taken in just six months earlier, reportedly tugged on the depressed teenager's clothes to pull her away from the ledge on the roof of her apartment building where she had been threatening to end her own life -- giving rescue workers the opportunity to swoop in a grab her and bring her to safety.

Authorities say that if it wasn't for Roman's actions, the situation would have likely ended in tragedy.

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