When Suann DeCourcey decided to rescue a little Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier puppy, little did she know that
the dog would rescue her right back.
As Suann was trying to study for a nursing course that she was taking, she began
to feel unusually tired and lethargic. It was early afternoon, so Suann decided
to lie down for a few minutes with her precious Maggie May nearby. The Winnipeg,
Manitoba woman awoke 2 hours later to her terrier sitting on her chest, licking
her face and whining very loudly. Suann, who is deaf in one ear, thought that this
was unusual behavior for her eight-month-old pet and when she sat up, she heard
the carbon monoxide detector going off.
Confused and disoriented, Suann called her daughter who convinced her mother to
call the fire department, and then told her to take her dog and exit the house immediately.
The fire department arrived, followed by the gas company who reported that her furnace
had a crack and was leaking large doses of carbon monoxide. If it had not been for
Maggie May waking her, she would not have heard the detector and may have succumbed
to the deadly gas.
Since that day, Suann and Maggie May are closer than ever, and are now each other's
true hero. For her act of bravery, Maggie May has been inducted into The 2008 Purina
Animal Hall of Fame, which for over 40 years has recognized hero animals from across
the country.