Millie Smith loved her dog so much that she gave her life to rescue the Poodle mix, named Jasper. The pup jumped into a river while they were on a routine walk in Bedfordshire, England. Millie knew the current was strong and feared for her best friend’s life. She jumped in after him.
This isn’t the first time pup parents have rushed into rivers to save their dogs, something first responders vehemently discourage, as it’s more likely than not that the human will die attempting the rescue. Sadly, that is what happened in this instance.
Millie, who was 80 years old, did not know how to swim. That fact did not deter her from trying to protect her dog. Millie succumbed to the river’s current and drown. Jasper, however, made it out alive.
Millie’s husband, Bev Smith, said:
She had always loved dogs, we’ve had loads over the years, an Alsatian, a Poodle and four Yorkies at one point. But Jasper stole her heart.
While every pup parent’s first instinct would be to jump into the water to save our best friends, Millie’s story is a tragic reminder that we should always seek help to rescue our pups from dangerous situations, as well as implement safety measures, like using a leash, while walking our dogs.
