Black Labrador defines loyalty, saves his Mom
Earlier this month, Sherry Noppe took her black Labrador on a walk in the Houston suburb of Katy, Texas. But Noppe and her dog Max never returned from their May 3 stroll.
For three days, Noppe’s family worried about the 63-year-old woman, who was recently diagnosed with dementia. But, on May 6, as authorities and volunteers searched for Noppe, they heard barks coming from the woods, Harris County Constable Ted Heap said in a statement.
It was Max, who never left Noppe’s side. The dog’s barks led rescuers to his owner, who was reunited with her family just in time for Mother’s Day.
“He saved her life,” Noppe’s daughter Courtney Noppe said. Her brother Justin Noppe added, “He’s our hero.”
It was around 3 a.m. that rescuers and volunteers heard Max’s barks coming from the woods of George Bush Park, a 7,800-acre park not far from where Noppe and Max were last seen. Family friend Michael England, who participated in the search, told KHOU that Noppe and Max were found in a “super thick” and “marshy” part of the woods where one could easily get lost.
“You can walk 50 feet in there and get turned around,” he said, adding that Noppe was found several hundred yards into the vegetation.
“She wasn’t severely disoriented and out of it, but definitely lost. … She didn’t know what to do,” England told the news station.
Noppe’s family said she was given fluids at a hospital to treat her dehydration. Other than some cuts and bruises, she was not injured. Max was taken to a veterinarian’s office, where he was examined and given a bath. He was deemed healthy after the rescue.
“That dog … stayed by her side for three days,” Justin Noppe said. “And that just shows you the loyalty the dog has.”