Sometimes, dogs go that extra mile to help us, and it’s only right that we reward our pooches in return. And one lifesaving Yorkshire Terrier mix has been nominated for the Amplifon Awards For Brave Britons 2022 for his role in helping his dog dad.
Rescue dog Chewie has reached the final four of the Hero Pet category. Along with pet parents Loretta and Ray Whiteley, the lifesaving dog will attend the virtual awards show next month.
Watching Over His Soulmate
The brave pup saved Ray’s life. He jumped on his chest after his dog dad collapsed from a cardiac arrest, and then alerted Loretta. She said that Chewie, named after the Star Wars character, is always looking out for Ray.
“It’s as if he’s his soul mate,” she explained, “On this particular day, Ray was in his armchair watching television”.
She continued: “I heard Chewie barking and it got more and more frantic. I stepped through the door and there was this surreal moment seeing this tiny little dog jumping up and down on my husband’s chest and giving him kisses. I dragged him to the floor and began CPR.
“All the time Chewie didn’t leave him he was trying to jump on his chest as if to say, ‘Come on daddy you can do this, you can do this!’,” she continued, “Without Chewie I wouldn’t have Ray”.
A Local Canine Star
It’s not the first time that talented Chewie has made local headlines, either. Three years ago, the pup triumphed against over 90 other canines to star in a marketing campaign for housebuilding company Lovell Homes.
Chewie was first found as a puppy abandoned in a plastic bag with his siblings. But, after Loretta saw a photo of him on Facebook, she and Ray gave him a forever home.
Since living with the Whiteleys, who also keep Dobermans, Chewie has helped fundraise for charities in the local area and got second place in the Best Rescue category at the Scruffts heats – a UK-wide competition for mixed-breed pups.
