Service dogs like seeing-eye dogs are truly remarkable animals that help their owners with many different tasks. They learn to guide their visually impaired companions through busy streets and even fetch items for them, making independent living possible.
One such amazing dog is Yolanda, a Labrador Retriever who lives with her owner, Maria Colon, in Philadelphia. The love between Yolanda and Colon is immense—they mean the world to each other. Colon had a special phone and taught Yolanda how to dial 911 in case of emergencies. In 2014, Yolanda used this phone for the first time when Colon fell and was knocked unconscious.
A year later, in 2015, Yolanda had to call 911 again, but this time because of a fire in their home. The fire started while Colon was asleep, and when she woke up, she noticed smoke filling the house.
“I said, ‘Oh my God, it’s smoke. And I can’t breathe,’” Colon told NBC Philadelphia.
Thinking quickly, Colon shouted ‘danger’ to Yolanda. This was the signal for Yolanda to spring into action and call 911, just as she had been trained to do. The clever dog rushed to the special phone and dialed the emergency number.
“I hear the phone—tke, tke, tke. And she’s growling. And I said, ‘Oh my lord, she called the police,’” Colon said.
After making the call, Yolanda helped drag Colon out of the burning house to safety.
Emergency services arrived quickly, and firefighters worked hard to put out the blaze that had overtaken Colon’s home.
Paramedics took Colon to Nazareth Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Yolanda was taken to Penn Ryan Veterinary Hospital, where she was treated for breathing in smoke and a scratched eye.
Fortunately, both Colon and her brave dog recovered swiftly. If Yolanda hadn’t acted so promptly, things could have been much worse.
The day after the fire, Yolanda and Colon were reunited, and they were overjoyed to see each other.
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“I’m her Mommy, and she loves me too much,” Colon said.
The veterinarians were impressed by Yolanda’s bravery. They gave her plenty of treats and food, and she received all the belly rubs she wanted. Many volunteers also brought toys for the heroic dog!
In recent years, researchers have been developing more devices to help service dogs communicate with people. These tools use natural behaviors that dogs already know, like pushing and pulling. With these devices, it’s easier than ever for service dogs to let others know when their owner needs help. This kind of technology is fantastic for service dogs like Yolanda!