The statement that a dog loves its owner the most in the world and will do anything for them has been proven correct many times.
A big-hearted rescuer, Gabby Bannon, knew that very well, and that was one of her main motives to go help these furry creatures in North Carolina when it was hit by Hurricane Helen.
However, she couldn’t have dreamed that one of the dogs she was helping would soon show his love and immense loyalty in practice — by saving her life and the lives of her children.
“Instant Connection”
Gabby was happy to answer the call to help the dogs living in the areas affected by Hurricane Hellen. That’s why she traveled to North Carolina with LaMancha Animal Rescue to deliver supplies to a distribution center.
Before they arrived at the center, Gabby and her teammates stopped at Caldwell County Humane Society to pick up displaced dogs.
One of those dogs was Rusty, who remained alone after his furry friend was reunited with its owner.
As soon as Gabby saw him, she knew that there was something special about him.
“I was assisting in loading dogs in their crates to travel back to Pennsylvania, and when I put a leash on Rusty and pulled him from his kennel, I felt this instant connection,” Gabby told The Dodo. “I can’t really explain why, but he seemed to have a gentle soul.”
Since Gabby saw fear in his eyes when he was about to go into his travel crate, she let him ride in the cab of her truck.
During the 11-hour ride, their bond became even stronger. After they finally came home, there was no more doubt for this woman — Rusty was officially a new member of their family.
As soon as Rusty came to his new home, they all fell in love with him, especially Gabby’s 2-year-old son, who enjoyed spending every moment with him.
Rusty reciprocated with immense love as he adored the kids very much. “He is so well-mannered and one of the kindest dogs I’ve ever encountered,” Gabby happily stated.
Their Furry Hero
Only a few weeks after the adoption, Gabby truly saw what it meant to have a loyal dog in the house. That morning, she was still napping with her kids when Rusty became agitated and started barking.
“At first, I didn’t know why, so I tried to settle him. He persisted and started nipping at the sleeve of my shirt,” she said.
She soon realized that there was a strange smell of electrical burning, but she didn’t pay much attention to it considering that they lived in an industrial area and that the windows were open.
Still, Rusty didn’t give up, so Gabby eventually decided to go downstairs and see what was going on. When she opened the door, she was engulfed with smoke. She immediately grabbed the children and her cat and brought them outside.
When she came back in, Gabby saw that the cause of the smoke was a faulty outlet in the kitchen. Fortunately, she was able to solve the problem with a fire extinguisher and the damage was minimal.
Even though Gabby was the one who put out the fire, she wouldn’t have had the chance to do it if it wasn’t for Rusty. This furry hero once again showed what it means to have a dog full of love and loyalty in life. It can sometimes even be life-saving.
“We shouldn’t underestimate the rescue dog and the incredible things they will do,” a delighted Gabby said in the end.