Dog Saves Owner
By: Sarah French, WHDH
Updated: May 10, 2012
A daring dog put her life on the line in order to save her owner's life.
Lilly, an 8-year-old pit bull, dragged her unconscious owner off of train tracks in Shirley, Massachusetts before an oncoming train could hit the woman.
Instead, the train hit Lilly.
"Lilly stepped up to plate and she saved my mom's life," said David Lanteigne.
Lanteigne rescued her three years ago as a therapy dog for his mother.
Last Wednesday night on train tracks in Shirley, Lilly returned the favor.
"She had fallen on the tracks. And from one of the witnesses said as the train was drawing near, he saw the dog pulling my mom off the track," Lanteigne said.
While Lilly was able to drag her owner off of the tracks, she was unable to get off in time, and was hit by the train.
Doctors had to amputate her right front leg and reconstruct her fractured pelvis, but Lilly is on the road to recovery.
Lanteigne says the misconception is that pit bulls are ferocious, because the only thing fierce about Lilly is her devotion.
"We found her and we rescued her and you know what? She went out stayed loyal. She's an amazing dog. She felt like she wanted to do something -- the ultimate sacrifice to give back and thank God she's still here with us," Lanteigne said.
Doctors at Angel Medical Center say Lilly has a lot of rehabilitation to do, but should be back to her normal self soon enough.
Lilly, an 8-year-old pit bull, dragged her unconscious owner off of train tracks in Shirley, Massachusetts before an oncoming train could hit the woman.
Instead, the train hit Lilly.
"Lilly stepped up to plate and she saved my mom's life," said David Lanteigne.
Lanteigne rescued her three years ago as a therapy dog for his mother.
Last Wednesday night on train tracks in Shirley, Lilly returned the favor.
"She had fallen on the tracks. And from one of the witnesses said as the train was drawing near, he saw the dog pulling my mom off the track," Lanteigne said.
While Lilly was able to drag her owner off of the tracks, she was unable to get off in time, and was hit by the train.
Doctors had to amputate her right front leg and reconstruct her fractured pelvis, but Lilly is on the road to recovery.
Lanteigne says the misconception is that pit bulls are ferocious, because the only thing fierce about Lilly is her devotion.
"We found her and we rescued her and you know what? She went out stayed loyal. She's an amazing dog. She felt like she wanted to do something -- the ultimate sacrifice to give back and thank God she's still here with us," Lanteigne said.
Doctors at Angel Medical Center say Lilly has a lot of rehabilitation to do, but should be back to her normal self soon enough.
