Real life Lassie saves dementia sufferering pensioner's life

A heroic dog proved he is man's best friend by barking an alert that helped save his neighbour’s life. Jack the Sheltie was no mute mutt when he realised a pensioner who lives next door had fallen and was at risk from freezing in night time temperatures. The 11-year-old family pet, who lives in Rugby Road, Woolston near Stourbridge, West Midlands, raised the alarm as David Feltham, aged 79, lay stranded and unable to get up after falling on his driveway.

The drama unfolded during the early hours of Monday after Mr Feltham, who suffers from dementia, went outside to investigate noises which he believed were being made by burglars. Mr Feltham's wife, Patricia, said: "I want to thank Jack for saving my husband's life, if it wasn't for the dog he would have frozen. When we found David he was awake, very cold and shivering, he had been banging on the gas meter box. I didn't know he had gone out but the dog heard him and we found him on the drive."



Mrs Feltham, aged 69, believes her husband may have been outside for several hours as temperatures plunged to freezing point. She added: "I think it is marvellous, we hear about bad dogs but this dog did well." After realising Mr Feltham was in trouble, Lassie-like sheepdog Jack woke his owners, Carole and John Wheatley, who thought he needed to answer a call of nature. But the canny canine continued to create a commotion until Mr Wheatley investigated and saw his neighbour in difficulty.

Paramedics were called at 5.14am and Mr Feltham was taken to Russells Hall Hospital to recover from his ordeal. Carole Wheatley said: "Jack has just got over a serious illness himself, we just thought he wanted to go out. My husband looked and saw David lying on the drive. We are very proud of Jack, it's really good."