A deaf dog is being hailed as a hero for saving the lives of a couple who escaped a fire that broke out in their New Hampshire home on Saturday.
The Barnstead Fire Department told WMUR that the home burst into flames around 4 a.m. Saturday. Once fire crews arrived at the scene, the flames fully encased the home and the surrounding structures.
Fire officials said none of the smoke detectors in the house were working, but the deaf dog alerted the house residents to the fire in time for them to escape.
“Without the working smoke detectors and without that dog, it is unlikely they would have made it out of the building,” said Deputy Fire Chief John Drew.
Firefighters spent an hour-and-a-half putting out the two-alarm fire. Drew added that two of the firefighters on scene went to the hospital for treatment and were later released.
Even though the couple and the dog survived the fire, several other pets did not, and the house was completely destroyed.
Firefighters are currently investigating the cause of the inferno.
Other deaf dogs have proven to their owners that they really are man’s best friend by rescuing humans in their time of need.
In April, a deaf and blind dog in Australia remained by a three-year-old girl’s side after she wandered away from home. The dog stayed with her until she was found.