Guide dog jumps in front of oncoming bus to save blind owner

A guide dog has shown loyalty and bravery when it stepped in and saved its blind owner. This moment goes beyond the usual role of a guide dog. This incident raises questions about the emotional and intelligent capabilities of the animals around us.

What happened on that day?

Figo is the brave service dog who saved the day and is a golden retriever. He jumped in front of the school bus when he noticed that it was going to hit Audrey Stone, the blind woman who he usually guides.

Pictures taken by the police show the golden retriever’s fur stuck on the side wheel on the driver’s side. There was also Some fur on Michael Neuner Avenue, New York. That was the point where the bus halted after hitting Figo and Stone.

The bus driver told the police he did not spot Figo and Stone crossing the road. He drove the Brewster school bus to take two children to St. Lawrence O’Toole Childhood Learning Center. The incident occurred on Monday at 8:15 am when Figo and his owner were going back home.

That was when Figo spotted the bus and jumped in front of it to save his owner.

EMTs come to the rescue.

John Del Gardo, the Brewster Police chief, mentioned that Stone, aged sixty-two, broke three of her ribs, had a cut on her head, and got a fracture in her right elbow and ankle. Paul Schwartz, the Xtra Mart gas station manager, said Figo’s leg was severed to the bone and rushed to the scene to offer assistance. 

Schwartz, a Mahopac resident, did not understand if the bus driver thought Stone would cross quickly, but it seemed the dog took the majority of the blow for her. Stone’s head was bleeding, and she felt pain in her hips.

Schwartz said that 15 EMTs attended to Stone, but Figo would not stay away from her. He was hovering around her, and she did not want to be far from Figo. Stone kept asking for Figo, but Schwartz and the EMTs assured her he was okay.

Schwartz and an EMT put a bandage on Figo’s right leg. He mentioned how Figo was still while they bandaged him. He sat next to Schwartz while they were working on him, and he had a limp as he was being guided to the big blanket on the sidewalk.

It started raining as they were helping Figo, but he let them wrap his leg without causing a fuss. He made no noise but was trying to get close to Stone. Figo stopped making attempts to move close to Stone when she was taken away in an ambulance, leaving him feeling lost.

Animals cannot go in an ambulance.

Schwartz also mentioned that Stone’s house is located on North Main Street, close to where the incident occurred. She was devastated when she got into the ambulance without Figo. Figo entered a Brewster Fire Department truck and went to the vet shortly after Stone went away in the ambulance.

A Middlebranch Veterinary employee in the Paterson area ascertained that Figo was undergoing treatment. Del Gardo stated that Figo’s leg would be operated on. 

The school bus had just exited Carmel Avenue and was heading for North Main Street when it hit Figo and Stone on the unpainted pedestrian crossing while making a corner on Michael Neuner Drive. Del Gardo reported that Stone was in the middle of the road when the bus approached. The driver was more focused on the traffic on North Main.

The aftermath.

The mini-bus driver was called forward for failing to give way to a pedestrian. Assistant superintendent for human resources and technology, Steven Moskowitz, explained that the driver appeared before the Partners in Safety in White Plains for a post-accident drug and alcohol routine test. The test results will come out at a later time during the week.

The driver was relieved of his duties while authorities started investigating the matter. Authorities will look at the bus’s dashboard camera and another bus that was in the area at the time of the accident. Moskowitz did not reveal the driver’s professional history but explained that the two children went to school on another bus, and their parents got information on what happened.

Del Gardo mentioned the bus was not speeding and did not leave tire marks on the sidewalk. He added that the dog suffered majorly but did not leave Stone to suffer alone as he was there for her. Stone, who was in hospital, was elated to know that Figo was receiving medical care and her friends were looking for someone to look after him while she recuperated.

Conclusion

Figo’s act shows that humans should never doubt their animal’s loyalty. He shows the importance of guide dogs in the lives of the visually impaired. This story is beautiful proof of the silent heroes that walk beside us, offering service and protection.