Quick-witted dog calls for help for man with heart disease

The dog, named "Koume", who lives at a horse riding club in Wakaba Ward of Japan's Chiba City, received a letter of thanks from the Wakaba Fire Department for helping a club member in distress, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun today, May 7.

Koume and a staff member at the equestrian facility are credited with preventing the man's condition from becoming serious and were praised for their "perfect response".

According to the club, a man in his 50s reported feeling unwell after riding at around 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 25. While walking to the parking lot to rest in his car, the man suffered a heart attack, lost consciousness, and collapsed. Koume followed the man and when he collapsed, he began barking loudly.

Club staff heard the barking and called an ambulance and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to revive the man. The man later regained consciousness and returned to the club to ride without incident.

“[Koume] loves people and everyone thinks he’s great,” said Yuna Maruo, a 23-year-old trainer at the club. Maruo added that Koume is usually very quiet and only barks on rare occasions.

Koume the dog and Yuna Maruo

Yomiuri Shimbun screenshot

Ms. Mauro cited several instances where Koume had barked, such as a horse trying to “escape” the facility by jumping over a fence and when an older horse had difficulty standing on its own.

As a puppy, Koume was supervised by "Ume," an unrelated dog who is said to have taken good care of Koume. "Ume may have taught Koume to call for attention if something unusual happened," Ms. Maruo speculated.

Koume and Ms. Maruo received letters of thanks at a special ceremony held at the club on April 20.

"When it comes to crisis management, noticing even the smallest changes is important. Koume's distress bark and the actions of the staff were the perfect way to react [to that situation]," an official in charge of the fire station emphasized.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/chu-cho-nhanh-tri-cau-cuu-cho-nguoi-dan-ong-mac-benh-tim-185230507155603086.htm