Though dogs are known for being great pets, they can also be heroes who serve as amazing partners for police officers, as they have the ability to sniff out drugs and track down criminals. In normal day to day life, dogs can use these same abilities to help the owners who love them when they are in trouble.

Officer Jeff Gonzalez was on patrol on a cold day in February in Washington County, Wisconsin when he came upon a black Labrador wandering the streets alone. As he got closer to the dog, he noticed the animal was wearing a collar, so he assumed he belonged to someone.

The dog was clearly in distress and he immediately ran away to a nearby Germantown neighborhood.

“He stood there and barked a little bit, then I rolled down my window and called to him,” Gonzalez said. “Then he wagged his tail and got more friendly until I got out of my car. And then he ran a little bit.”

Concerned for his safety, the officer followed the dog and quickly caught up to him. It didn’t take long for Gonzalez to realize that the dog, whose name is John Boy, was trying to send him a message. John Boy led Gonzalez to his front yard, where his female owner was slumped over in her chair.

“To be honest with you, I thought she was dead,” Officer Gonzalez later said. “And when I went up, she was very cold to the touch. Her lips were blue.”

Suddenly, Gonzalez found a small sign of life in the woman, who he later learned was named Krystal.

“I was able to determine she was breathing and had a pulse,” he revealed. “I called for assistance and my partner was close. So, together, we got her in the house.”

He then called Krystal’s daughter, Tianne Wendt, who rushed to the scene.

“Basically what he told me was, he said that they thought that she was dead,” said Wendt.

Krystal was rushed to the hospital, where doctors were able to stabilize her and put her on the road to recovery. It turns out that she had just taken John Boy for a walk when she returned home and collapsed in her yard. She had been laying there for two hours as John Boy frantically ran around the neighborhood looking for help. Luckily, he ended up finding Officer Gonzalez!

This just goes to show that dogs really are intelligent creatures who will do anything to save the owners who love them. SHARE this story so your friends and family can meet this heroic dog!