A service dog is being hailed a hero after he literally threw himself in front of an oncoming mini bus to protect his blind owner in Putnam County. Audrey Stone, 62, was crossing the street in Brewster-New York, USA with her guide dog Figo when unbeknownst to her, a bus was heading straight at her. Her golden retriever leapt into action and threw himself in front of the bus, stopping the vehicle from hitting his blind companion. Stone suffered a fractured elbow, broken ribs, a fractured ankle and a cut on her head, but her dog took the brunt of the impact. Figo’s leg was cut so severely, the bone was exposed.
“There were 15 EMTs and people all around her and the dog didn’t want to leave her side,” Paul Schwartz, the manager of a nearby gas station who ran to the scene. “He was flopping over to her and she didn’t want him to get away from her, either. She kept screaming, ‘Where’s Figo? Where’s Figo? Where’s Figo?’ We kept telling her he was fine.” While Stone headed off to the hospital, Figo was brought the vet, where he needs to undergo surgery.
The driver, who had two kindergartner passengers, told the police he did not see the woman and her dog crossing. The driver was issued a summons for failing to stop for a pedestrian and taken off duty while the investigation is on going. He also received an alcohol and drug test — standard protocol for accidents — and the results will be available in the next couple of days.
