Hero Dog Saves Elderly Man From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

When 80-year old Jack Farrell adopted Max, a 90-pound German Shepherd, about a year ago he was looking for companionship. Little did he know, his four-legged friend would someday save his life.

Somehow Max knew his buddy was in serious danger when a wall heater in their Novato, California home malfunctioned, filling the house with natural gas and carbon monoxide. Unable to wake his sleeping owner, Max grabbed hold of Jack’s arm, pulled him out of bed, and dragged him down the hallway toward the kitchen.

Farrell told KPIX 5, “Out here in the kitchen, I finally woke up wondering what the hell was going on because he had hold of my arm.” Confused and bleeding heavily from his arm, Farrell called 911.

When firefighters arrived, they found deadly levels of carbon monoxide in the home. Novato Deputy Fire Chief Adam Brolan said, “We took a reading of the environment and found 75 parts per million. To put that into perspective, we don our breathing gear at 25 parts per million.”

Farrell, who was briefly hospitalized after the incident, credits his best friend, Max, with saving his life. While Max may not be the most obedient dog, he says, he knew exactly what to do that day.