Heroic Hound : Humane Society Honors a Dedicated Dog Credited With Saving a Woman’s Life

Taking a page from a Lassie script, Bobby, a blue merle Australian shepherd, is out for a walk with his owner when he discovers an injured equestrian, obscured by tall grass and slowly suffocating.

Bobby barks until the perplexed owner comes to see what all the commotion is about and finds the injured rider.

Together dog and owner save the day, and a life.

On Tuesday, Bobby--accompanied by his owner, Linda Fitton--received perhaps the highest honor that can be bestowed on a dog in Los Angeles: the “Hero Dog” award, presented by the Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The prize: A year’s supply of doggy biscuits. Really.

“He had done everything but send up flares,” Fitton said of Bobby’s dramatic rescue, which occurred in January on a horse trail in Rolling Hills Estates. “He found the injured woman right away and he was trying to tell me.”

The horse had apparently been spooked and thrown the woman, identified by authorities as Karina Zenke, and dragged her along the trail and into the brush.

As she was pulled along, the woman’s mouth and nostrils filled with mud.

Fitton, who oversees Rolling Hills Estates’ horse stable, said she cleared out Zenke’s breathing passages, and sent another rider who passed by to call for help.

Bobby stayed by the woman’s side the entire time, refusing to budge, Fitton said.

Zenke, who suffered a concussion, declined to attend the award ceremony, saying she was

reluctant to discuss the incident, event organizers said.

But Bobby had no problem about soaking up the attention. He howled and panted and licked his chops, reveling in the glare of several television cameras.

“Oh, what a beautiful, beautiful dog,” said Pauline de Farrell, an animal rights activist who started the “Hero Award” 14 years ago after her own dog saved her life.

“Animals give us unconditional love and protection and we need to respond in kind to give them what they deserve,” she said. “That’s what this award is all about.”

This is not the first time Bobby has been recognized for his efforts. In January, the city of Rolling Hills Estates gave the dog a special commendation.

“A dog like this could be living in your house and you don’t even he’s a hero until he does something extraordinary,” said Madeline Bernstein, executive director of the Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The Kal Can pet care company donated a year’s supply of dog food and treats to honor the dog.

Bobby--who was named after Bobby James Ewing, the upstanding brother on the television show “Dallas”--was quick to dig into the reward, wagging his stubby tail in appreciation.

A crowd of about a dozen people--many of them Fitton’s friends--stood off to the side snapping pictures of the bushy black, white and gray dog.

“We just respect him so much,” said Charlene Deluca, who owns one of Bobby’s puppies.

“We just hope our Duke grows up to be just like him.”