American „Dog Hero of the Year“

Miami. A Florida dog who fought an alligator to protect an elderly woman was honoured for his loyalty with a „Dog Hero of the Year“ award. Two-year-old Blue, an Australian blue heeler from LaBelle, saved Ruth Gay from the alligator and survived numerous injuries, said organisers of the annual Heinz Pet Products award, which was announced in Pittsburgh. Gay, 85, was taking the dog for an evening walk along a canal behind her house last July when she slipped on wet grass and fell, breaking her nose and dislocating a shoulder. Blue lay at her side while she called for help. Suddenly the dog growled and ran off into the darkness – sensing an alligator that had climbed out of the canal about 50 feet away, apparently attracted by Gay‘s calls. Blue fended off the reptile despite suffering numerous puncture wounds to his stomach and when Gay‘s daughter and son-in-law arrived home about an hour later, led them to where she was lying.

„I heard the alligator and Blue fighting, and I thought Blue was dead,“ said Gay. „It wasn‘t until my daughter came home and I heard Blue barking that I realised he was still alive and that he saved me from the alligator.“ (Reuters)