Dog dials 911, man rescued


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Dog dials 911, man rescued

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (USA)
Sep. 8, 2006

Lassie? Pfft, old skool. Gone are the days when a pooch would have to run 2 miles to the nearest trading post and then mime an urgent message to the local sheriff in Scooby-speak. Today's dog totes a mobie.

On Wednesday, one such dog was given the Eli Lilly "Lilly for Life" Award in Indianapolis. "Belle" the English beagle was honored for saving the life of Kevin Weaver, 35, by calling 911 on a cell phone when he suffered a diabetic seizure on Feb 9.

"When I went into my seizure," Mr. Weaver describes, "she grabbed my phone and bit down on the number '9' pre-programmed to call 911, and the next thing I know, I'm in the hospital."

Mr. Weaver had suffered a severe hypoglycemic shock and collapsed on the floor of his kitchen in Ocoee, Florida. Belle found his cell phone, called 911 and barked into the phone at emergency dispatchers. When paramedics rushed Mr. Weaver to the hospital, Belle rode in the ambulance.

Kevin says, "I am convinced that if Belle wasn't with me that morning, I wouldn't be alive today. Belle is more than just a lifesaver; she's my best friend." (Photo: AP)

Mr. Weaver has lived with type 1 diabetes all his life. But when his seizures began to worsen last year, he decided to invest in his dog's education and have her trained as a diabetes alert dog.

Two-year-old Belle graduated after nine months and is now proficient at testing Mr. Weaver's ketone level (blood sugar) which she does by sniffing his nose every hour. If danger exists, she warns him by scratching his leg, and if the situation becomes severe, she can dial 911 if Mr. Weaver is incapacitated.

Says Mr. Weaver, "There are a lot of dogs that are trained to push a button, and it dials 911 on a house phone, but she's the first to learn on a cell phone how to actually do it."

So what's next for Belle... text messaging?

"OMG K3VIN SI HAVNG A S3IZUR GOT 2GET H3LP BRB"

Sources:
Tiernon, Anne Marie. "Lilly honors dog who saved owner's life." WTHR News. 06 Sep 2006.

"Saved by the Belle." Sydney Morning Herald. 21 Jun 2006.

"Dog makes cell phone call to save owner's life." MSNBC (Associated Press). 20 Jun 2006.

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, NOSTRILDAMUS?

Belle can predict Kevin's impending seizures by sniffing his nose.

(Photo: WTHR News)

SHINY NEW CHEW TOY

For the first time in its 32-year history, the Lilly for Life Award goes to a non-human.
Belle was also the first non-human to receive the VITA Wireless Samaritan Award in June.