Pets

Georgia Pit Bull Credited With Rescuing Elderly Woman In Pond

"If it helps a pit bull get adopted, if it saves a pit bull's life, I'll tell Bruce's story until I'm blue in the face."

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — Abby Leathers had just sat down to watch Batman and drink a cup of tea when her dog, a pit bull named Bruce, started whining and sniffing at the front door. It was "weird and annoying," she thought, because he usually goes out back.

When his whines intensified, she resigned herself to take him for a walk. Once the door open, he bolted around the house. She chased after him as quickly as she could and found him at the edge of a small pond.

"Just beyond him, in the water, was a half-naked, elderly woman," Leathers said in a post on Instagram. "I immediately tied his leash to a tree and waded into the water some to get her. She was trembling, confused, and scared."

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Leathers tells WJBK-TV the woman had been standing in two or three feet of water that was up to her knees.

"Bruce and I brought her in, dried her off, clothed her and gave her some hot tea."

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Leathers said the woman didn't speak English so she couldn't find out the woman's name, home address or "anything useful." She dialed 911 and both police and paramedics responded. Police later received a report of a missing elderly woman nearby, Leathers posted. Her family rushed over and identified her.

"She was speaking an Ethiopian dialect known as Amharic," she posted. "I had no chance of verbally communicating with her, but I held her hands when she extended hers so I hope it helped."

Leathers says Bruce is the only reason "someone's mom and grandmother did not freeze or drown in a pond." She hopes his story will change peoples' perceptions about pit bulls.

"I wish people gave the breed a chance because everyone needs a hero. If it helps a pit bull get adopted, if it saves a pit bull's life, I’ll tell Bruce's story until I'm blue in the face," she told the news outlet.

Bruce saved a lady's life today. He really is a wonder dog. This morning when I woke up, I made a cup of tea and settled down to watch an episode of Batman, as most 28 year olds do. Bruce sat at the front door whining and sniffing, which I thought weird and annoying, as he usually goes out back. The whines became more urgent so I got up with a huff and went to take him for a walk out front. Once the door was open, Bruce bolted to the right side of my house towards the small pond. I followed him as quickly as I could only to find him at the edge of the pond. Just beyond him, in the water, was a half-naked, elderly woman. I immediately tied his leash to a tree and waded into the water some to get her. She was trembling, confused, and scared. Bruce and I brought her in, dried her off, clothed her and gave her some hot tea. Despite my best attempts, I could not discern what language she was using, her name, where she lived or anything useful. She kept motioning to her ears so I assumed she was deaf or hearing impaired. Bruce was praetorian in his watch. I had called 911 and they responded very quickly. Soon I had 3 cops, 3 paramedics, and one very confused and lost woman wearing my robe in my living room. Eventually, the police said they had received a call about a missing elderly woman nearby. Her family rushed over and identified her. She was speaking an Ethiopian dialect known as Amharic. I had no chance of verbally communicating with her, but I held her hands when she extended hers so I hope it helped. It was an eventful morning, and someone's mom and grandmother did not freeze or drown in a pond because of my wonderful pitty bull Bruce. Now, if only you'd hear this pitbull story on the news. #notabully #pitbull #pitbullsofinstagram #pibble #pibblesofinstagram #velvethippo #dogsofinstagram #dogs #wedontdeservedogs #herodog #gwinnett #gwinnettcounty #localnews #proudmama
A post shared by Abby (@skaterfem) on Feb 6, 2018 at 8:57am PST

Photo credit: Jack Taylor/Getty Images


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