Dog Dials 911 When Owner Has Seizure

PHOENIX — "Man's best friend" doesn't go far enough for Buddy _ a German shepherd who remembered his training and saved his owner's life by calling 911 when the man had a seizure.

And it's not the first time Buddy has been there for owner Joe Stalnaker, a police officer said Sunday.

On a recording of the 911 call Wednesday, Buddy is heard whimpering and barking after the dispatcher answers and repeatedly asks if the caller needs help.

"Hello, this is 911. Hello ... Can you hear me? Is there somebody there you can give the phone to," says the dispatcher, Chris Trott.

Police were sent to Stalnaker's home, and after about three minutes Buddy is heard barking loudly when the officers arrived.

Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark said Stalnaker spent two days in a hospital and recovered from the seizure.

"It's pretty incredible," Clark said. "Even the veteran dispatchers _ they haven't heard of anything like this."

Clark said police are dispatched whenever 911 is called, but that Stalnaker's address was flagged in Scottsdale's system with a notification that a trained assistance dog could call 911 when the owner was incapacitated.

Clark said Stalnaker adopted Buddy at the age of 8 weeks from Michigan-based Paws with a Cause, which trains assistance dogs, and trained him to get the phone if he began to have seizure symptoms. Buddy, now 18 months old, is able press programmed buttons until a 911 operator is on the line, Clark said.

Clark said Buddy has made two other 911 calls when Stalnaker was having seizures.

He said Stalnaker's seizures are the result of a head injury he suffered about 10 years ago during a military training exercise.

Stalnaker was not listed in the phone book, and he did not immediately respond to a request through police for an interview.

(This version CORRECTS name to Trott, sted Scott.)

Comments

[pbarnes]

Thank you very much for this article. I have an adult son who lives at home because he has seizures. Knowing that there are options out there that would give him independence is great! Thank you Thank you Thank you

[DebofMD]

Yay for the doggie!!! I love dogs. Pure unconditional love.

[joyf1]

My husband, suffering from advanced prostate cancer, saw a cute, little dog's picture advertised by the local shelter in the newspaper. Well, he HAD to have him. I agreed after much begging. It turns out, our little dog, Petey, has been the best medicine imaginable for my husband. He is by my husband's side at all times and has cheered him up out of some pretty deep funks. I believe my husband is doing so well because of Petey. What a wonderful story about the German Shepherd. Thanks for putting it on Huffington Post. It made my day.

[CATO90025]

The true test of friendship--

lock your dog and your wige in your car trunk for 1 hour--and then see which one is happy to see you when you open it.

[Puzzles]

How about on the car roof for a road trip?

[1sunnyday]

It certainly is. What do you think about this?

I found a site while looking for some general information for my pets. the other day. It's so great to see that there are so many people who love, care for and really need to have pets. Not everybody feels the same. There's this one site where there are debates by experts on various subjects. There is one debate called: “Should We Keep Pets?”. I like the idea that these people are experts in their fields, but one of their expert debaters wants to abolish the institution of pet ownership. Take a look! I’d be interested to get your take on this. as I'd like to respond and would love to get input from you guys before replying to him there. http://www.opposingviews..../questions/should-we-keep-pets

So - let me know what you think about what this Professor guy has to say. Thanks so much.

[CATO90025]

The test of true friendship and love.

Put your dog and your wife in the trunk of your car--lock it for 1 hour. And than see which one is happy to see you.

[missy53]

awesome

[missy53]

Fabulous

[mjc]

I bred and owned collies for years and I'll put their intelligence and loyalty up against German Shepherds any day. One collie I sold as a puppy in May of 9/11 2001 went with her owner who was a first responder in New Jersey and did a sort of triage with the victims coming across the bridge. She seemed to know who were in the worst shape and who could make it to the medical station. Another dog about a year old sensed his owner's neighbor' had a house about to go up in flames, smoke flying out of the residence. They called the fire department and went over to get the family out before the flames actually broke out. The collies I owned were used as therapy dogs and always, ALWAYS, knew who needed them the most. Sancho would simply go to a wheelchair of a woman who began to cry as soon as she saw him and he stayed right with her for almost an hour allowing her to cry into his rough (collar). Children are the most trusting of this breed of dog, even without the movie, and one used to tell Buster what was really bothering him in a whisper. Since I was on the other end of the collie's lead, I got to hear and help.

[nkhogan]

Buddy for VP!

[BannedInBoston]

So the dog actually tapped the keys 9 and then 1 and then 1? Doubtful, if for no other reason than that it's paws are too large to select individual keys. So I'm guessing they had a special phone that the dog was trained to use and press one large button or some such to make the call. I point this out because it's bad reportage not to include this kind of information in a story and to imply that the dog actually did press the 9-1-1 keys individually. It's still a remarkable enough accomplishment but it's not served by bad reporting.

[pilgrim7]

"Buddy, now 18 months old, is able press PROGRAMMED BUTTONS until a 911 operator is on the line, Clark said."

[viflyer]

Maybe when Sara Palin becomes president we can get a law passed to shot assistance dogs from helicopters? Planes wouldn't work in cities?

[pie8ter]

He is smarter than George Bush.

[1jadednewyorker]

hhahahahhh­ahahhahaha­hhaha lol-ing

[boycottrightwingthings]

Even though I was bitten not by one German Shepherd, but by two (they are the only dogs that have ever bitten me, and I was a child both times) I don't have a fear of German Shepherds because as I got older and got to know other friend's German Shepherds, I realized that training is everything! A German Shepherd in the wrong hands is like a pit bull in the wrong hands. I have loved a few friends's German Shepherds because they were trained right and are sooo lovable and are such great dogs when they are in the right hands.

[marleysghost]

Man's best friend is still a man's best friend. Good dog!!

[exPatPatti]

I am the proud owner of a German Shepherd (bred for police) and I can tell you that I would trust her with my life. And she has more foreign policy experience than Palin.

[NTO08]

Why are we bringing poltics into this! Keep the hate out of this great story.

[c1ee]

LOL

[biglith]

German Shepherds rule! The most intelligent and versatile of all breeds. It may be called German but it is truly the All-American dog.

[Cynth]

But does she wear lipstick? :-)