When Fred Rapp was diagnosed with dementia, he moved in with his daughter so that someone could look after him. When he made the move, the 78-year-old Manchester Township resident took his rescue dog, Petey, along with him. He adopted the pooch from the local shelter, and the two have been together ever since then.
Their close relationship eventually led to the dog saving his owner’s life. And Fred’s daughter, Heidi, is so grateful for Petey’s instincts.
Lost in the woods
According to Heidi, his father went out for a drive in the nearby woods. After two and a half hours, she started getting worried. Her dad had never ventured out for such a long time before, and she was afraid that the elderly man was lost. He was new to the area and unfamiliar with the many trails there.
That was precisely what happened. The old man didn’t know where he was going, and his truck got stuck in a ditch. He eventually got out and wandered into the woods. Petey followed him.
In the meantime, Heidi called the cops, and they started a search. They even used drones to cover a wider area. But since it was dark already, they had a difficult time locating the lost senior.
Great luck
Early the next day, an off-duty cop named Charles Brooks went hunting in the same area. While he was walking a trail, he came across a running dog. The pooch ran up to him, and the officer noticed the animal looked distressed. The small canine started barking at him and ran back to where he came from.
Charles decided to follow the dog. After a few hundred feet, he found Fred. The elderly man was disoriented and exhausted, so the officer reported the situation to his department. First aid responders arrived shortly after and then took Fred to a hospital.
He was released that same day as he had no serious injuries or medical issues. But without Petey’s help, things would have been worse.
Source: Manchester Police via Facebook
