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Canine credited with winter rescue
Sledding mishap left owner trapped with broken leg

Kenzie Love
Calgary Herald

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

It may be a cliche to say dogs are man's best friend, but it's one Sue Ritchie probably wouldn't dispute.

The Red Deer woman credits Lily, her two-year-old border collie, with rescuing her after a New Year's Day toboggan ride went awry.

Out for her usual morning walk with her dog, Ritchie, 43, spied an abandoned Krazy Karpet at the top of a hill about two kilometres from her house and thought it would be fun to go for a slide while Lily ran alongside.

"The minute I headed down, I really had a premonition that this wasn't a good idea," Ritchie said Tuesday.

Her suspicions were confirmed moments later when she heard a loud pop. There was no pain at the time, and she continued to the bottom of the hill.

And at that point, it became clear something was wrong. Her right foot was pointing at an odd angle -- evidence of a broken femur she'd suffered during the ride. No one else was there, and she faced an uphill climb every way she looked.

Unable to walk, Ritchie decided to clamber up the hill to get to the service road for a nearby cemetery where she could wait for help. Inching along on her side, her broken leg resting on her good one, it was a painful one-hour climb.

When she arrived at the service road, and still saw no one, she sent Lily to the rescue.

"Quite often at home, I'll (tell Lily) go find Blaine," said Ritchie, referring to her husband.

And when she gave the familiar command, Lily set off. She found Graham Carson, 30, tobogganing with his six-year-old daughter on the other side of the hill.

He soon realized something was wrong.

"(She) came chasing after the sled when we came ripping down the hill, and I thought it was a dog just looking to play," said Carson.

But Carson rethought that assumption when he noticed Lily's tail wasn't wagging. The dog ran back in Ritchie's direction, then returned to Carson to make sure he was following her -- a process she continued until he came close enough to hear Ritchie's cries for help.

Ritchie was much relieved when Carson spotted her.

"I just said, 'I'm so glad to see you. Do you have a cellphone?' "

Carson did and promptly called 911 and Ritchie's husband to come fetch Lily.

Doctors had to insert a metal plate and a couple of screws into Ritchie's leg, but she figures things could have been a lot worse were it not for Lily.

"Had she not been with me, I don't know," Ritchie said, expressing doubt she could have remained conscious if Lily hadn't found help.

"She was a good dog."

The energetic canine is reaping an incidental reward for her service in the form of extra walks. Several neighbours have come forward offering to take Lily out while her owner recuperates.

"Rather than (her usual) one walk a day, everybody's rallying around and making sure Lily gets exercise," said Ritchie.

Once she's back on her feet, Ritchie will be more prepared for emergencies when she goes for walks.

"I'm definitely taking a cellphone next time," she said.

But with a dog like Lily, she may not need it.
© The Calgary Herald 2008