Distraught woman calls police, says she intends taking her life
Officers search area, hear dog barking, see woman floating on water
Zoey Zhang
Published: 2:00pm, 27 Apr 2024
A distraught woman in China who tried to kill herself by jumping into a river has been saved by her pet dog who led police to the spot where she jumped into the water. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin
A woman in China has been saved from suicide by her pet dog, who led police to her as she was drowning in a river.
On April 7, the woman, surnamed Fan, from Jiangsu Province in southeastern China, left home after a drunken argument with her family, with her dog following her.
In a distressed state, Fan called the police, telling them she intended to jump from a building.
After getting the call, officers searched the neighborhood but failed to find her.
As they searched along the riverbank near Fan’s home, an officer called Chen Bo found Fan’s pet dog.
Emergency staff rush the woman to hospital on a stretcher after she was plucked from the river. Photo: Douyin
It barked at the police and ran towards the riverbank, so they followed it while also calling Fan’s phone number.
The ringing of a phone under a bridge caught their attention, and that was where they found Fan floating on the water, losing consciousness.
Officer Chen jumped into the river, and with the help of his colleagues, dragged Fan to the bank for successful emergency treatment.
The story of a loyal pet saving its owner has attracted praise on mainland social media.
“Girl, your life was saved by your dog. Please, cherish it and live well,” one online observer wrote on Weibo.
“Never doubt the intelligence and loyalty of pets,” said another.
In China, the number of pet-owning households reached 106 million in 2023, according to a market consumer report.
Cats and dogs are becoming indispensable members of families, providing companionship and emotional support.
Fan is not the only person to be saved by her pet.
In November 2022, a Golden Retriever from Zhejiang province in eastern China saved its 78-year-old owner who had a stroke and collapsed at home.
The woman’s trusty pet dog led police to the spot on a riverbank where she jumped into the water. Photo: Shutterstock
The nine-year-old dog barked all day, attracting the attention of neighbours who called the police.
After the old man was hospitalised, the dog hardly ate or drank for 12 days and sadly passed away.
In the same year, a dog sacrificed itself in a blaze to save its owner.
The incident happened in Guizhou, a mountainous province in southern China, in which wooden houses are prone to fires.
When one broke out in the home of an elderly person while sleeping, his pet dog woke him up and shielded him from falling bricks with its body.
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