Hero Dog Remembered on National Dog Day

Carl brought Sally home before it was time to wean her from her mother. The runt, her mother shunned her and it wasn't likely, in such a large litter, that she'd make it if someone didn't intervene. Carl was up for the job. He brought her home in an old mustang convertible on a bright, clear Florida winter day with the top down. From that day on Mustang Sally was loved and cared for like his child. She turned into a beautiful, strong, completely white Shepard. Smart and loyal, the sun rose and set on her beloved Carl, and the feeling was mutual.

That short intro alone makes a pretty touching dog story. Sally would be Carl's constant companion and best friend for the next four years. They had a routine. Carl, single, worked second shift. He'd come home in the evening, Sally waiting patiently in her chair for the sound of his truck. She'd great him from the chair with an actual doggy smile and a sort of snort and wait for him to come in and get settled. It wouldn't take long before he'd reach for her leash and having not said a word she'd be at the door, waiting for their nightly constitutional. At three a.m. I dare say she seldom had to wear her leash the whole walk as no one was about at that hour in their quiet neighborhood and Sally obeyed each command to slow up or cross over or stay with loving obedience. The two would wake late in the morning for breakfast and it was more often than not that Carl and Sally ran errands together around town. Carl and Sally, without any tragedy, would make a touching National Dog Day story. But alas, tragedy there is.

Not long after Sally's fourth birthday Carl awoke, disoriented and naked, in a clump of shrubs thirty or forty feet from his home. Sally 's body half covering Carl's, stretched out the whole length of his body. The smell of smoke heavy in the air, the street alive with flashing lights and noise Carl stood. Still not comprehending what his eyes were telling him, he began to shuffle toward his home. Someone handed him a blanket, Sally still by his side. He finally came to a stop in front of his home, engulfed in flames. The firemen at the scene first started screaming at him to move, get out of the way! Sally, who hadn't made a sound til then went crazy, barking and whining. The firemen finally stopped and actually looked at Carl. Half his body was covered in second and third degree burns, down the insides of both thighs were two long, deep, angry scratches and there was a bite mark on his right hand.

At the hospital Carl began to remember some of the evenings events, in bits and pieces. He remembered being drop dead tired, having a beer, remembered his nightly walk, remembered lighting a few candles then nothing until waking up outside under Sally's warm fur. As the doctors questioned him while treating his burns, about the peculiar long scratches on his thighs and the bite mark on his hand he had a fuzzy recollection of feeling intense pain and looking down thru the smoke and haze at Sally's barking face. She had literally jumped on him, scratching and barking for him to get up and out, then finally bit thru his hand and partly led, partly dragged him from his burning home. She then covered his burned body with hers til he awoke and got help. This hero of a dog deserved more than just the telling of this touching dog story for National Dog Day. She single handedly saved her beloved master without regard for her own safety. The doctors confirmed what they also believed the scratches to be, Sally's, and that she kept him covered and warm. All felt he may not have otherwise made it.

Sadly just a few short months later, just as Carl had almost completely recovered from his burns Sally died from a genetic defect that took her life silently and quickly. From the time of the first sign of a problem the two had only a matter of days to say goodbye to each other. This story for National Dog Day is in dedication to Mustang Sally. I had the pleasure to live with Sally and Carl while his home was rebuilt. Thank you Sally for giving me many months of happiness in your company and for giving me many years to come with my friend Carl.