Could your pet save your life?
The bond between humans and animal can bring benefits far beyond the gift of company and endless cuddles. They improve our mental health1, protect our physical security, and even alert us to medical problems.2 The interplay between humans and animals is a constant source of wonder and the subject of a great deal of scientific research.
From a parrot who acts as a burglar alarm to a rabbit who can detect diabetes, here are some astonishing tales of animal courage and compassion.
1. Sergeant Stubby
In 1917, a small stray mongrel puppy appeared in the training area of the 102nd infantry, near Yale, USA, where the Yankee Division was preparing for action in World War I.3 Christened Stubby by the soldiers because of his short tail,4 the puppy soon integrated himself into the ranks. His comrades taught him to “salute”, he learned bugle calls, and was allowed to join the soldiers on the front line.5
After being caught in a gas attack, he recognised the smell the next time it happened and was able to wake and warn the sleeping soldiers. He also caught a German soldier in the trenches by biting and holding him until relief arrived, and was adept at finding wounded soldiers, too. By the end of the war, Stubby had served in 17 battles, and was awarded lifetime membership of the American legion, as well as a gold medal for heroism commissioned by the Humane Education Society.6
2. Dolphin danger
The playful nature of dolphins is well documented. But what about their protective instincts? In 2004, Rob Howes went swimming with his daughter and two of her friends, off the coast of North Island, New Zealand. There, they found themselves encircled by four bottlenose dolphins who repeatedly slapped their tails on the surface to prevent any of the group swimming away.
When Rob tried to move out of the cluster, he was herded back by two of the bigger dolphins, just before he spotted a three-metre-long great white shark heading straight for him. The dolphins maintained their defensive circle for 40 minutes until the shark finally left, allowing the group to swim 100 metres back to shore. Dolphins adopt this tactic to protect their young against shark attacks, and for some reason decided to extend their protection to include this group of humans.7
3. Early warning
Animals are very sensitive to change and will become aware of unusual incidents faster than humans, especially overnight. House pets, like dogs, cats, and even parrots, regularly prove themselves to be excellent smoke and burglar detectors. Tink, a cat from Shrewsbury, alerted her owner to the danger posed by a fire in a nearby house by jumping on her to wake her, but was then overcome by smoke and needed oxygen.16
Eric, a parrot in Brisbane, Australia, repeatedly yelled out his owner’s name to wake him and alert him to a fire in his home.17 Meanwhile, in Monmouth, South Wales, a serial burglar was caught, after an orange winged Amazon parrot, Charlie, spotted the intruder and raised the alarm.18
