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Keremeos dog hailed as hero after alerting neighbour to senior in distress

Shadow leapt over a fence and scratched on a door after caretaker collapsed
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Shadow, a 6-year-old Maltese Bichon from Keremeos is being credited for jumping a fence and scratching on a neighbour’s door to alert them to their caretaker collapsing and hitting their head. (Submitted)

Not all heroes wear capes, in fact, some of them wear fur coats and walk on four legs.

Such is the case with Shadow, a six-year-old Maltese Bichon from Keremeos that leaped into action when his caretaker fell on a concrete floor and hit her head, rendering her in pain and screaming for help.

Keremeos resident Charmaine Eby had to travel into Penticton last week and left her two dogs, Shadow and nine-year-old Maybelline at home with her mom. While Eby’s mom was in the kitchen, she fell and hit her head.

She was on her back unable to get up and yelling for help.

“None of the neighbours heard her. The dogs stayed right beside her.”

Until Shadow jumped into action and took off running out the back door, jumping over the two-foot fence, past about eight houses and to neighbour Sharon’s house.

Taking a page out of Lassie’s book, Shadow scratched on Sharon’s back door, got her attention and guided her back to Eby’s front door.

“Shadow brought the neighbour inside and she was able to sit with mom and call an ambulance,” said Eby. Sharon stayed with her mom until Eby was able to come home.

Keremeos dogs Shadow (left) and Maybelline are being hailed heroes after alerting and bringing back a neighbour to their house after their caretaker fell and hit her head. (Submitted)
Keremeos dogs Shadow (left) and Maybelline are being hailed heroes after alerting and bringing back a neighbour to their house after their caretaker fell and hit her head. (Submitted)

Eby had lots of time to make it home because the ambulance took over two hours to arrive from Princeton.

Eby then brought her mom to the Penticton hospital, while Sharon looked after the furry heroes.

The dogs had never done anything like that before but Eby believes, Shadow always looks after her mom as she sits on her feet or under her chair.

So how do you reward four-legged heroes?

“They got lots of kisses, snuggles, and treats,” she said.

Meanwhile, Eby’s mom is doing much better and getting stronger every day.

READ MORE: Olalla residents can return home

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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