My pedigree chum! Collie sniffs out pup of same breed dumped in bin
WHEN Freckles the collie started barking at a waste bin on a quiet country road, her owner thought the dog had gone mad.
After several minutes Anna Standing was about to tug Freckles away, but when the animal wouldn’t stop barking she decided to investigate.
Mrs Standing took the lid off the bin and, to her horror, discovered a puppy inside – a collie like Freckles – whimpering quietly and barely alive. Shockingly, two other collies had died next to the seven-week-old dog.
It is not known who dumped them on the picturesque lane in Burbage, Wiltshire, but police are investigating.
Healthcare assistant Mrs Standing has taken up ownership of the surviving collie, now named Holly, and nursed her back to health.
Five-year-old Freckles has been praised for saving her life and the two have become firm friends.
Mrs Standing, 53, said: ‘She just stood there barking at the bin for five minutes. She knew there was an animal in there – her animal instinct kicked in.
‘At first I thought, “you stupid animal – what are you barking at a bin for?” Then I thought I had better investigate. I unscrewed the top from the bin and found the collie in a bag. Freckles saved her life – she was barely alive. I am sure it was her instinct for the safety of another collie that saved the pup. She heard her whimpering. She just kept barking and barking at the waste bin.
‘Holly is now in good health and they get on like a house on fire. Freckles has taken her on like her own puppy and they do everything together.’ Collies are intelligent, companionable and with their excellent sense of smell are often used on search and rescue missions, and by police to sniff out drugs and investigate fires.