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CNN Live At Daybreak

Man Saved by Dogs

Aired March 06, 2002 - 06:58   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Man's best friends have come through again. Reporter Bill Gallagher of our Detroit affiliate WJBK reports on the dogs who proved to be lifesavers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL GALLAGHER, WJBK-TV REPORTER (voice-over): Meet Boo (ph) and Bobo (ph), a dynamic dog duo, truly lifesavers.

HESTER SMITH, VICTIM'S WIFE: Dogs are man's best friend, and sure enough, these dogs are his friend and his keeper.

GALLAGHER: The dogs showed unflinching loyalty to their master, 80-year-old John Henry Smith. He has Alzheimer's disease. And when he wondered from home Sunday, Boo and Bobo followed him. Police found Smith Monday night in frigid weather, unconscious in the doorway of a downtown restaurant with the dogs using their bodies to keep him warm.

OFFICER KENNETH WILLIAMS, DETROIT POLICE: The dogs were curled up on the side of him. Soon as Mr. Smith was taken in the ambulance, the dogs were kind of going crazy wondering where he was.

GALLAGHER: Children and grandchildren, who spent a frantic day searching, are most grateful to the smart, devoted dogs.

SHENIQUA EARL, VICTIM'S GRANDDAUGHTER: When they said that the dogs had laid on him, I said you know, my God, the average dog would have probably just ran away and came back home.

GALLAGHER: Ironically, Mrs. Smith had been trying to get rid of the dogs, now with heroic stature.

SMITH: The dogs has always gave me the flocks (ph), as you could call it. And I said we've got to get rid of these old hounds just -- I did. Honestly I did. And we've got to get a house and put them in so that they can have a good place to stay, you know.

GALLAGHER: In Detroit, Bill Gallagher, Fox 2 News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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