Rescue Me!!

Guide dog saved baby by pushing pram away from car

A guide dog saved the life of a baby after it broke free from its owner and pushed a pram out of the path of a car that had careered out of control.

The dog managed to wrench herself free from the grip of her owner Jessica Cowley, who is registered blind, after she spotted the car heading for the pram, which had one-year-old Jacob in.
Jet, a black Labrador who has been a guide dog for five years, pushed the pram out of the way of the car, which then hit Mrs Cowley, knocking her to the ground.
Mrs Cowley, who is registered blind and has tunnel vision, said Jet had not been specifically trained for this type of rescue but was very protective of her young son.
Mrs Cowley, 28, said: "Just after we stepped off the kerb to cross the entrance of the car park, I heard a screeching of a car and it banged into me sending me flying.
"Just before it hit me I felt Jet let go. She a strong dog and she pulled out of my hand and actually pushed the pram out of the way.
"The pram toppled over but Jacob was out of safety and even while I was lying face down on the ground, I was happy to know he was safe.
"She reacted really quickly, and she's just amazing."
The car is thought to have been shunted behind from another vehicle and forced off the road to head for Mrs Cowley and her son as they crossed the entrance to a car park in Leigh in Lancashire, near their home.
Mrs Cowley was knocked to the floor face down, and had her leg trapped on one side of a bollard.
The pram was knocked on its side, but Jacob only suffered a cut to his lip.
Mrs Cowley added: "Jet is trained to help me but she's not trained to do that sort of thing.
"It doesn't bear thinking about what might have happened if she hadn't have done what she did.
“She was worried about me but once she had licked my face and checked I was conscious she was fine.
“She loves Jacob and thinks of him as her own. What she did was extremely brave and I am very proud of her.”
Vet Caroline Purnell, who saw the incident, said: "We feel that she really demonstrated exactly how important these dogs are. She showed no concern for her own safety and went to protect her handler's child before helping her handler."
Jet has lived with Mrs Cowley and her husband James for five years.