Hero Pit Bull Dog Receives Award from Texas Fire Department for Saving His Owner's Life

Glenn Garner
·2 min read

El Paso Fire Department/Twitter

Many adopted dog owners will say that their furry friend rescued them, and in Astro the dog's case it's particularly true.

Astro received an award on Friday from Texas' El Paso Fire Department (EPFD) and El Paso Animal Services for saving his owner's life during a medical emergency last week. His award for the heroic act included a medal and a dog-friendly cake, according to KTSM.

On April 14, the American pit bull terrier alerted a neighbor that his owner was in medical distress. The Good Samaritan subsequently contacted emergency responders, who were able to give Astro's owner the medical attention they needed to survive the ordeal.

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"We know that the dog was even trying to climb into the ambulance with the owner, firefighters had to lure him into a vehicle for family members to come and pick him up, and without his help, the patient might have never been found," said Enrique Duenas-Aguilar, an EPFD spokesperson, during Friday's award event.

While the nature of the medical emergency Astro's owner survived has not been made public, the owner's family said they are recovering and stable.

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Bertha Martinez, Astro's owner and the mother of the person who had the emergency, admitted she was reluctant to adopt the pit bull a year ago when he was found as a stray.

"We never thought in a million years he'd do something like that," she said of Astro's actions.

"If you treat him well and don't harm them or anything, then they become what he is," Martinez added.

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