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45th Skippy
Dog Hero Of The Year Shepherds Four People to Safety
Provided by Heinz Pet Products
 Newport,
KY (February 29, 2000) - The 45th Skippy Dog Hero
of the Year is Shelby, a 7-year-old German Shepherd from Ely,
Iowa who saved the lives of two adults and two children by
alerting them to dangerously high carbon monoxide levels in
the home where they were sleeping.
On the
evening of December 13, after a long day of baking Christmas
cookies, John and Janet Walderback were awakened by the cries
of their friend's two children, who were overnight guests.
They and the children awoke with terrible headaches and upset
stomachs. As Janet was rocking the younger child to sleep,
she passed out.
Shelby
revived her by nudging her until she regained consciousness.
Shelby had her ears down and her tail tucked between her legs
as she went to wake John. She continued to act anxious and
would not leave their sides, as they tried to determine what
was making them and the children feel so sick.
Thinking
she might need a trip outdoors, John put her outside but that
only made her act more anxious as she began to bark, whine
and scratch at the door. She did not rest until John, Janet
and the children were safely outside the home.
Luckily,
at the hospital, all four people were successfully treated
in hyperbolic chambers, which eliminated the carbon monoxide
in their bodies, preventing any severe damage. Doctors remarked
that they were very lucky to have made it out when they did.
The house measured 290 ppm (parts per million) of carbon monoxide,
a level at which death or severe long-term damages are imminent.
Shelby
survived the incident as well. And her owner, Joleen Walderback
(John and Janet's daughter), couldn't be more proud.
"In my
eyes, and in the eyes of my family, Shelby is more than a
hero; she is a lifesaver, a guardian angel," said Joleen.
For her
efforts, Shelby and her owner received $500, one year's supply
of Skippy dog food, and an engraved Skippy Dog Hero food bowl.
Runners-up
Two other
dogs were recognized as Skippy Dog Heroes in this year's contest.
Each received a $200 cash prize.
First
runner-up honors went to Spike, a two-year-old American Pitbull
Terrier owned by Dr. Danny Fredman of Tucson, Arizona. Last
summer, when Spike's owner was preparing to dive into his
pool, Spike began barking incessantly. Sensing something must
be wrong, Danny turned on the pool lights. To his astonishment,
a 5-foot Western Diamondback Rattlesnake was coiled up on
the surface of the water, right in his swimming path. By warning
Danny of the danger, Spike saved his owner's life.
Second
runner-up honors went to Sam, a 1-year-old Back Labrador/Rottweiler
mix owned by David Biddle of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. Sam
was living with David and his roommates while David attended
Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. One early morning, Sam's
scratching and whining at their door awakened David's roommates.
They found David on their sofa moaning and disoriented with
a 108-degree fever. They took him to the emergency room where
he was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis. David spent
1-2 days in the hospital, where Sam often visited him to help
keep up his spirits. David lost six fingers and both legs
below the knee to his illness, but he survived and returned
to Lehigh this year, using prostheses. If Sam had not awakened
David's friends and David had gone without treatment for even
one half hour longer, he would have lost his life.
Skippy
is proud to sponsor this program, which rewards heroic dogs
for their actions every year. For more information on the
program, please visit www.skippydog.com.
The
Skippy Mega Brand is Heinz Pet Products' number-one-selling
can dog food. The Skippy brand offers five different forms,
including ground, in the most popular flavors. Additionally,
Skippy dog food is 100 percent complete and balanced nutrition.
Heinz
Pet Products, an affiliate of the Heinz Company, is a leading
producer of dog and cat food and treats, with top-selling
brands such as 9-Lives and Pounce cat food and treats; Skippy,
Kibbles 'n Bits and Gravy Train dog food; and Jerky Treats,
Snausages, Pup-Peroni and Meaty Bone dog treats.
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