Newfoundland Dog Honored For Saving Drowning People

Good to see Whizz on the One Show again pic.twitter.com/brFWd6jr0K

— Newfound Friends (@NewfoundFriends) September 9, 2015

Newfoundlands are known for their strong swimming skills. They were originally bred to help fisherman in cold waters. Today, they’re often trained to assist drowning victims, and such was the case with Whizz who recently passed away at the age of 12. Whizz was a hero dog who went above and beyond in his work as a water rescue dog. Over the course of his life, he rescued nine people and one other dog from drowning. Now he’s being posthumously honored for his decade-long career of saving lives.

Whizz leaps to the rescue of one of the volunteers raising money today for Tol’s Appeal… http://t.co/rCAGR8e2 pic.twitter.com/uasEPdX4

— Newfound Friends (@NewfoundFriends) May 20, 2012

The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) is a veterinary charity in the U.K. that is awarding Whizz with their Order of Merit, which is given to extraordinary animals who show devotion to their owners and society. This is not the first time Whizz has made headlines. In 2007 he rescued an Irish Setter named Topper from a frigid water tank by jumping into the water without being told to do so and hauling Topper to safety.

Whizz with his specially made wet boot showing that he won’t let a badly cut paw stop him getting back in action. pic.twitter.com/nROVGv6JmI

— Newfound Friends (@NewfoundFriends) May 20, 2013

Also among those rescued by Whizz were two children who had floated out to sea in an inflatable dinghy. Whizz saved both of them at the same time. Over his life, Whizz worked with the Royal Navy Rescue, the Severn Area Rescue Association, and Marine Volunteer Service. He will never be forgotten by the ones he saved or their families. He was truly a hero, and we can’t honor him enough.