Pet Dog Kept Vigil for Injured Pensioner
Published: May 26, 2005
A pensioner told today of how his border collie kept an overnight vigil next to his wife after she fell and broke her hip.
Pedro lay down beside Maureen Porter, 69, keeping her warm and licking her face to keep her awake for 18 hours until she was found by neighbours.
He stayed with the pensioner the whole night only stirring to investigate when foxes strayed too close.
Mrs Porter had been at home alone in Cenarth, Ceredigion, while husband Eric, also 69, was away in Essex.
She was using a small set of steps to clean the windows outside the house and tried to get down to pick some flowers. She missed her footing, slipped and fell on her hip, breaking it, just after 2pm.
Unable to move diabetic Maureen called for help but nobody heard her cries after the accident two weeks ago.
Mr Porter said: “She kept calling and calling but nobody came. Pedro was there though and he stayed with her all night. Without him the consequences may have been a lot worse.
“The valley was very cold that night but Pedro kept her warm. He kept licking her face and putting his paw up to her face as if to say ’don’t fall asleep’.”
Eric raised the alarm when his wife failed to answer the phone that morning and a friend went round to the house and found Mrs Porter at about 8am.
He said of his wife, “she was joking with people, but I think that was the shock coming out, she really is a strong willed person.”
Maureen has undergone surgery to repair the damage and is now making a full recovery.
The couple, who are both retired, got Pedro from an animal sanctuary more than 10 years ago and say that he has always been a faithful pet.
“He certainly played his part that night but he is always special to us. He doesn’t know what is going on, he just sits there looking at you. He had no idea how special he is,” said Eric.
“Someone in the village shop asked me the other day if I was going to play the lottery this week and I said, ’no I think I’ve already won because I’ve still got Maureen”’.
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