A very Unique dog

A Fidelco dog has done it again.

"Unique" the German shepherd led his legally blind owner out of a raging fire last July and last week was given the Animal Rescue Hero’s award by the American Red Cross Connecticut Chapter at their annual breakfast ceremony.

The fire occurred in Manchester, Conn. when violent thunderstorms swept through the state and a lightening bolt struck Bill Poldony’s home. The result, according to Battalion Chief Dan Huppe of the Manchester Fire Department, was a 30-foot ball of flame and a destroyed home.

But as the lights in Poldony’s home went out at 10 p.m. and fire began to consume the structure, Unique led him from the back of his home to the foyer where he was met by Huppe and the Fire Department.

According to Huppe, had two 500-gallon propane tanks erupted, “It could have been a different situation. In my long career as a fighter, I have never witnessed an animal response like this.”
Diane Auger, CEO, American Red Cross Connecticut Chapter, also praised the guide dog’s response.

“Unique’s quick reaction in the face of disaster seems to be a common, yet extraordinary trait among all our heroes who we honored today. We are so very pleased to recognize Unique for putting her owner’s safety first without regard for her own well-being," she said.
Eliot D. Russman, CEO and executive director of the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc. said, the agency does "not specifically train our guide dogs for rescue work.

"However, their owner loyalty, focus on the job at hand, and intelligence comes to the surface when trouble arises. We are proud of Unique and most grateful that Bill survived the destruction of his home," she said.
The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Bloomfield Connecticut, breeds, trains and places a unique type of German shepherd guide dogs with people who have visual disabilities.

Editor's note: All of the information in this post was provided by Fidelco. It is only lightly edited here.