Brave Dog Awarded ‘George Cross For Animals’

Brave dog Bos to be awarded a PDSA Gold Medal for life-saving devotion

Bos, a devoted black Labrador-cross from Brampton in Cumbria, is to be awarded a PDSA Gold Medal - the animals’ George Cross - for saving the life of 73-year -old Mark Corrie who was missing for two days on the Cumbrian fells.

PDSA, the UK’s leading veterinary charity, is honouring seven-year-old Bos for remaining close to Mr Corrie throughout his ordeal and then barking to attract the attention of the rescue team. Bos, who is owned by Mr. Corrie’s daughter, Lorna Farish, becomes the 15th dog to be awarded the PDSA Gold Medal.

“We have always thought Bos is an amazing dog but when he saved my father’s life that day he proved to everyone just how very special he is,” said Lorna. “I’m so pleased that Bos has been awarded the PDSA Gold Medal. He really is a dog in a million.”

Mark Corrie was two days off his 74th birthday when he went missing in August 2007. It was his normal Saturday routine to collect Bos from his daughter’s house and go for a short walk but when man and dog had not returned by lunchtime, Lorna became concerned and contacted the police who mounted a full scale search of the local area.

Thanks to two local couples, Susan and Jim Burns and Fred and Sheila Brown, who happened to hear Bos’s howling and followed the noise, Mr. Corrie was discovered, cold but unhurt, on the bracken covered ridges on the south side of Cumrew Fell. Somehow the elderly gentleman had wandered off his normal route and become lost. He was seven miles from home.

As soon as Bos saw his rescuers he began to bark and lead them to the ridge above the 10 foot wide gully where Mr. Corrie was sheltering. Emergency services attending the scene praised Bos for his actions. Had it not been for his presence keeping Mark Corrie warm and for his determined howling and barking to attract attention, the pensioner’s two day ordeal could have had a very different ending.

“Bos’s determined actions at a critical time proved invaluable to Mr. Corrie and his family,” said PDSA Director General, Jan McLoughlin. “We are pleased and proud to be able to award Bos a PDSA Gold Medal for life saving devotion. He is obviously an extraordinary dog and highly deserving of this honour.”

The presentation of the PDSA Gold Medal to Bos will take place in Cumbria in the New Year.

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