Dog's Sharp Ears Save 89-Year-Old Neighbor From Freezing

When 89-year-old Mickey McKinney slipped on ice outside his Manitoulin Island home, he had no idea a four-legged hero was listening.

McKinney stepped outside around 4:30 p.m. earlier this month to move his snowblower. He fell hard and couldn't get back up. After multiple failed attempts to stand, exhaustion set in.

"Eventually, I started getting worried," McKinney told CTV News. With no phone and temperatures dropping, he began yelling for help.

Next door, Rosa had other plans for her evening. The seven-year-old rescue dog suddenly started barking at the door, an unusual behavior that caught her owner Linda Gilchrist's attention.

"She went to the door and she barked, which was unusual," Gilchrist said. "There was nobody there." She grabbed her boots and Rosa's leash anyway.

The moment they stepped outside, Gilchrist heard McKinney's calls. She found her neighbor on the ground and got him the help he needed.

Sunny's Take

For McKinney, a police officer for over 30 years, this marked his first time on the other side of an emergency. He'd spent decades responding to calls for help. Now he was the one who needed rescuing.

The next day, McKinney showed his gratitude the best way he knew how. He brought Rosa a bag of cookies.

"She's a lifesaver," he said with a smile. "I think so, anyway."

Rosa's sharp hearing and Gilchrist's willingness to trust her dog's instincts made all the difference on a cold Ontario evening.