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Dogs In The News: Mountain Dog Thought ‘Dead’ Miraculously Lives, German Shephard Receives Medal For Bravery

By Bradley Ryder
Published on: 15:18 PST, Aug 7, 2016

We’ve found two news stories about dogs that will have you grinning from ear to ear — and proud to be an animal lover.

Last Easter Sunday, Maddox, a Bernese mountain dog, was nowhere in sight after a car accident. The next day, law enforcement officials received a call about a dog that had passed away in the cold and had been buried beneath the snow.

However, when the officer arrived, he was shocked to see that the canine was alive and that it was Maddox, who went missing earlier. Many eyewitnesses reported that they had seen Maddox wandering in the area after the accident, according to Life with Dogs News.

No one was able to locate or catch the pooch. Reportedly, the dog continued to elude rescue parties. Nevertheless, his family remained hopeful that their beloved dog would be found — sooner rather than later.

The day after the car accident, a member of the Broomfield Police Department was dispatched to a call for service about a dead dog found in the trails of Wildgrass, an area north of Denver. A police spokesperson took to their Facebook page and posted a message about the incident.

“Officer Goldstone’s heart sank as she responded. As she walked about a ½ mile on the trail, she observed Maddox’s head lying on a snowbank with no movement.”

However, in a shocking turnaround, Goldstone notice that the dog turned its head after hearing him approaching. He appeared stressed and on the brink of death. Goldstone was shocked to see the dog alive and contacted the animal’s family.

Upon the arrival of his owners, Maddox gathered enough energy to stand up and wag his tail; he had a sudden burst of energy. Upon seeing his dog, the rescued animal’s “father” trudged through the steps and pulled his dog from beneath the snow that held him captive. According to the dog’s vet, Maddox did not suffer any lasting damage from the experience.

Lucca, a 12-year-old German Sheppard, is a United Stated Marine Corps-trained veteran and was set to earn the decorations she deserved months ago. Before her retirement, Lucca completed more than 400 missions in Iraq and Afghanistan within a six-year period of service.

During Lucca’s final mission, she discovered a 30-pound explosive device. While searching for other munitions, however, Lucca endured harsh burns and lost her front-right leg, according to her handler, Corporal Juan Rodriquez, who spoke about the dog’s ordeal.

“The explosion was huge, and I immediately feared the worst. I stayed with her constantly throughout her operation and recovery. She had saved my life on so many occasions – I had to make sure that I was there for her when she needed me.”

Currently, Lucca lives in California with a new handler, Gunnery Sergeant Chirs Willingham. However, Lucca was recently flown to London to accept the Dickin Medal for bravery, according to WCVB. The commemoration is an honor founded in 1943 and is awarded by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (or PDSA).

Its director, Jan McLoughlin, praised Lucca’s valor during the war and had received one of the highest honors animals in the military receive. In the past, other wildlife earned the Dickin Metal, including its first recipient in 1923, Winkie, the pigeon.

The bird received the medal for rescuing a stranded aircrew in the North Sea. The last dog to receive the honor was Diesel, a Belgian Malinois that received the award posthumously in December of 2015.

Today, Lucca is added to the long list of animals to receive the distinction. According to the PDSA website, Lucca’s award was bestowed “for tireless service to the military communities of the United States of America and coalition partners from 2006 to 2012.”

[AP Photo/Frank Augstein]

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