Dog that protected owner for 40 hours honored by Purina

(Purina Canada/YouTube)


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KANAKA BAR, British Columbia — A dog that protected his owner for more than 40 hours after a tragic car crash has been inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame.

Sako, a 4-year-old king shepherd, belongs to a family from Kanaka Bar, British Columbia, where he grew up as a companion to teenaged Joseph Phillips-Garcia.

On June 10, 2014, Phillips-Garcia and his family, a group consisting of a cousin, aunt, friend and Sako, were traveling home after a wild potato picking and fishing day trip an hour outside of town. Riding as a passenger on the drive home, Phillips-Garcia was asleep in the truck when he felt the vehicle go off the road and into a deep embankment in a heavily wooded area. He and Sako were both thrown from the car and were the only survivors.

Phillips-Garcia blacked out upon impact. When he roused to consciousness, he realized that he was significantly injured. Having sustained a broken femur and collarbone, the boy was rendered immobile. He was also inadequately dressed for the elements, wearing only a thin sweater and a pair of shorts.

Since Phillips-Garcia and Sako had a significant bond, the protective pup did all he could to care for his young owner over the next two days. This included keeping Phillips-Garcia warm, bringing him wood so he could start a fire with the lighter in his pocket, and fending off predatory animals circling the crash site. Phillips-Garcia said he heard Sako fighting with coyotes in the bushes during the unfortunate ordeal.

On June 12, 2014, rescue crews found Phillips-Garcia and were able to remove him from the crash site and he was taken to the hospital. There he underwent multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation.

As the one year anniversary of the accident approaches, Phillips-Garcia has recovered and is thankful for Sako’s “unyielding companionship that gave him the hope and the courage to hold on until he was found,” according to the Purina press release.

Congratulations on being inducted into the 47th Purina Animal Hall of Fame, Sako. You deserved it.

Photo credit: Purina Canada/YouTube

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