A small Olds dog has been inducted into the Purina Hall of Fame.
Sophie, an 18-month old Bijon Frise, owned by Mary-Ann Lazurko and her family, was one of four animals inducted into the hall during a ceremony on Monday in Toronto.
Jordana Wolch, a spokesman for the award ceremony, said that early one morning, Sophie was vigorously tossing about on Lazurko’s bed.
Lazurko tried to calm the dog down. She thought she heard a noise coming from her diabetic daughter Belinda’s room but disregarded it and fell back to sleep.
Sophie, however, wouldn’t let go.
She started pacing back and forth across the bed and managed to get Lazurko up.
The dog bolted for Belinda’s room and it was discovered she had slipped into a diabetic coma.
A paramedic, Lazurko tried to revive her daughter while her husband called 911.
When the ambulance crew arrived, an intravenous was started, which helped Belinda regain consciousness.
The 41st annual awards honoured three dogs and a cat.
The Purina Animal Hall of Fame is an opportunity to pay tribute to the pets and service animals that are a part of our everyday world — and specifically honour heroes that have gone beyond the call of duty to help save lives, said Mary Siemiesz, executive director of the Purina PetCare Legacy.
This year, three pets and a service animal each demonstrated fearlessness, intelligence and devotion in saving the lives of their owners and family members and in one case, a complete stranger.
“They remind us why we adopts, rescue and welcome pets into our lives, with their unspoken friendship, unconditional adoration and unwavering loyalty,” Siemiesz said.
For the past four decades, Purina has recognized the heroic acts of beloved pets and stoic service animals. As one of the longest running pet recognition programs in Canada, the Purina Animal Hall of Fame has inducted 142 animals — 117 dogs, 24 cats and one horse.