Smoke Detectors Failed, But Labrador Didn't

April 18, 2001 Paterson, New Jersey, USA

Three cats and a New Jersey man are alive this morning, thanks to a 13-year-old, lazy Labrador mutt.

But in order to get the entire story, we have to begin at the very beginning, 10 years ago:

The Garyfallou family decided to rescue a shelter dog one day, so they went down to the Clifton Animal Shelter, where they happened upon Lady, a 3-year-old Lab-ish, Collie-ish, black-and-brown-ish bundle of dog.

Lady had those dark, expressive eyes that seemed to possess some grand, eternal secret (and if you've ever visited a dog pound, you know the kind I'm talking about!).

She went home with the family that day, and instantly she bonded with the 10-year-old boy Patrick.  For the next 10 years, the Garyfallous would note how those dark, expressive eyes would light up whenever she saw him.

This isn't Lady; it's Terry,
another dog at the Clifton Animal Shelter

And now we're back to April 2001, Main Street, Paterson.  The boy Patrick is now 20.  Lady is 91 years old (in dog years), and maybe her coat's a little scruffy and patchy—she's definitely into her "calmer years".  But it's never too late to repay a favor.

Some time Monday morning a fire broke out in the 2-family residence where the Garyfallous lived.  The other family was able to evacuate quickly, but Patrick was alone, fast asleep on the first floor where flames were spreading rapidly.

Billows of smoke poured from the building, and the heat was so intense it broke out the windows, but the smoke-detectors failed to sound.

Lady knocked open Patrick's door and pounced on him, yelping and running around in circles.

"I know when she starts acting funny, something's wrong," Patrick said.

Once he realized what was happening, Patrick ran upstairs to warn the neighbors.  Then after surmising that they had already escaped, he grabbed two of his three cats, while Lady ushered the third out the door.  Patrick left his clothes, pictures and everything else he owned.

"I was too nervous. I was worried about the animals," he said.

When firefighters arrived, "all you could see was black smoke in the air," said Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Pellegrino.

Four firefighters were injured in the effort—two by smoke inhalation, one by falling debris and one by electrocution.  But in the end, everyone was ok.

It is believed that the fire started from a smoldering cigarette that fell from an ashtray onto the couch.

A Clifton animal specialist later summarized, "Dogs tend to be very protective of someone they care about.  They are highly intelligent, [and] can see a situation, think about it, make choices, then act on that choice.

"This shows that if you love and take care of your dog, that animal will repay your love and kindness a thousand times over."

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