Guest Author - Julie Sullivan

Susie, a 9-month-old golden retriever dog, which was adopted by Selena and Faye Carmouche from the St. Bernard Animal Shelter is very special indeed. For this wonder animal alone, who woke her new family up on the night of November 26th, 2004, to the presence of a fire in the home.

Susie began making a collection of sounds, noises which included loud barking, as well as sounds and other oddly audible things. It was the dog's barking and so forth that immediately roused Selena and Faye Carmouche's stepfather named Ray Morrogh from his sleep. Morrogh went downstairs thinking that there was a burglar in the house. But he was in for the shock of his life when he noticed a fire emanating from the hot water heater. He quickly put out the fire and then returned to bed.

But around 1:00 a.m. that same morning, Susie began barking again, and this time Morrogh returned downstairs to find the dog standing in about an inch of water. Apparently the glass seal on the hot water heater had broken and after the water had cooled off. It began to seep out on onto the floor of the half-double house.

Susie wasn't only instrumental in saving the lives of her owners, but also in that of the family's neighbors, with whom they share the other half of their residence. This dog is a true heroine in every sense of the word!!