When she was just a few months old, Sophie, one of 10 newborn Dalmatian pups, was found to be deaf. Although she was unwanted and had behavioral issues, she still found the time to save the life of a little girl who was drowning.
The little five-year-old girl, Georgia Peck, fell into the swift river at Corsock Mill in Galloway, Scotland and was quickly swept from shore on a Sunday. Sophie, only six-months-old, knew to swim over to the thrashing youngster and drag her back to safety.
"As soon as I fell in, Sophie came over and got me," Georgia says. "I held on to her paw and she swam with me to the side. "I couldn't have got out of the water without Sophie's paw. She saved me. She couldn't hear me screaming but still saved me."
"Georgia's mom heard the screams from the house, but by the time she got there, the dog had already dragged Georgia three quarters of the way out and was still with her," explained family friend Ann Clement.
Besides being deaf, Sophie has parti-colored eyes (one blue and one brown) and her jaw line is also twisted, meaning that all of her treats would need to be broken up. Breeder Robbie McHenry was advised to have the dog put to sleep, but his wife says that "by that time, she was seven weeks old and had developed her own character. I just couldn't do it."
While searching for a forever family, McHenry left Sophie with the Peck family on Saturday night in order to provide her with socialization from another puppy from the same litter that had been adopted by the family. The next day was when the heroic pup saved Georgia.
Although grateful to the Dalmatian for her act, the family decided against adopting Sophie and for now, she stills resides with her breeder.