We often talk about humans saving animals. We put ourselves out there, as the ones who save the day, as nature’s biggest helpers, always ready to take all the credit. But how often have we celebrated the times when an animal put itself at risk for the sake of a human being? We probably don’t do that often, because people don’t seem to pay too much attention to that. But just because we don’t talk about it, it doesn’t mean there haven’t been any heroic acts by animals.
Today I want to present to you a list of ten animals that saved people’s lives. These acts of heroism will likely put a smile on your face, or maybe even make you cry a tear or two. One thing is for sure, the lives of ten people were saved thanks to the actions of ten animals. You won’t believe what animal number one did for a human! You’ll want to have this one by your side if you ever have an emergency.
10. Dory The Rabbit
Heroes come in all sizes and here’s a rabbit that can prove that to you. When Simon Steggall became unconscious while watching TV, his wife Victoria thought he had simply fallen asleep. However, Dory, the house rabbit, knew something wasn’t right and started jumping on Mr. Steggall’s chest until his wife came over to notice that something was wrong and immediately called an ambulance. Dory knew that she was not allowed on furniture and Victoria kept telling her to get off Mr. Steggall’s chest – but her constant tapping made Mrs. Steggall become aware of the problem and do something right away. An interesting fact is that Mrs. Steggall was working for an ambulance service back then and the house rabbit noticed the problem before she did. She was obviously ashamed, but thankful to have such a helpful and stubborn rabbit in the house.
Never underestimate the potential of the pets you have at home! You never know when they’ll come to rescue your life.
9. Lulu the Vietnamese Pig
Lulu’s act of heroism happened at a time when social media and memes were not a thing. Otherwise, she would have been more famous than what she was back in 1998, when she saved the life of her owner. It all started when Lulu’s owner, Jo Ann, had a heart attack and her husband was on a fishing trip. Besides Lulu, there was a dog named Bear, an American Eskimo that started barking hopelessly trying to get someone’s attention. When Lulu realized that Bear’s efforts were pointless, she decided to get out of the yard where she was kept. She got hurt in the process, but she finally made it to the middle of a main road where she started playing dead. Some people thought she was just a cute playful pig, but someone finally noticed that Lulu was trying to give a warning. The person followed Lulu all the way to her house and that’s how they were able to get help for Joan. What a brave a determined pig!
8. Jambo the Gorilla
When we think of Gorillas and zoos, most of us probably think of Harambe and the controversial end of his life. But there’s another gorilla out there that also came face to face with a child, his name is Jambo and he became a hero back in 1986 when a five-year-old boy fell inside his enclosure. The boy was unconscious, which would make anyone think he was an easy prey for the gorillas. However, Jambo immediately came to caress the boy and stood by in order to protect him from other gorillas. Back then, people didn’t have cell phones like today, but a lot of people recorded the event with photographs and home videos, which helped others learn about the protective and caring nature of gorillas. Some people out there should go watch these videos and learn about how helpful gorillas can be if you don’t stress them out. There’s no need to shoot them, and there’s definitely no need for kids to be climbing down to their enclosures. Leave the gorillas alone!
7. William the Chatty Parrot
William, or Willie – as his family would call him, was a very chatty parrot. But Willie used this attribute to save the life of Hannah, a two year old who was choking so badly to the point that her face started to turn blue. Megan, who was Hannah’s babysitter, was taking a bathroom break when the incident happened.
6. The Three Guardian Lions
5. The Elephant Lifeguard
4. Mila The Beluga Whale
3. The Protective Whale
2. The Bear and the Mountain Lion
1. The Bodyguard Dog
