A deaf dog is being praised this week after he saved the lives of a New Hampshire couple when a fire broke out in their home on Saturday night.
The fire started in the town of Barnstead at around 4am, and by the time firefighters reached the scene, the flames had completely engulfed the home. Officials with the local fire department said that the smoke detectors in the home were not working at the time, so it was only when the deaf dog alerted them to the fire that the couple realized what was happening.
“Without the working smoke detectors and without that dog, it is unlikely they would have made it out of the building,” said Deputy Fire Chief John Drew.
Deaf dog credited with saving Barnstead family from fire https://t.co/lwsPtQGKON pic.twitter.com/ItNqR09CDp
— WMUR TV (@WMUR9) December 30, 2018
It took an hour and a half for firefighters to put the flames down. Sadly, while the couple and the deaf dog survived the blaze, some of the other pets in the home perished. The cause of the fire is still being investigated at this time.
This isn’t the first time a deaf dog has alerted humans to a dangerous situation, as their other senses are heightened by the loss of their hearing. Earlier in 2018, a blind and deaf dog stayed with a 3 year-old girl who wandered away from home, refusing to leave her side until she was found.
Stories like this remind us why dogs really are man’s best friend!
