Heroic Dog Nabs Award for Saving Elderly Woman’s Life

PETA Celebrates Midnight the Dog for Alerting Guardian to Neighbor’s Predicament

For Immediate Release:
February 13, 2019

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

A Heroic Dog Award is on its way from PETA to the Curfman family for their adopted 4-year-old Lab mix, Midnight, who came to the rescue of an elderly neighbor during the polar vortex on January 28.

Tim Curfman was taking out the trash when Midnight led him to his neighbor’s backyard, where he found 87-year-old Noreen lying in the snow in temperatures below zero, unable to get up. Curfman and his wife ensured that their neighbor made it back inside and into warm, dry clothing—and since the day of the rescue, Midnight has been back to visit Noreen, her biggest fan.

“When this dog sensed that something was wrong, she made sure that her neighbor got the lifesaving help that she needed,” says PETA Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “This inspiring story reminds us that many intelligent, sensitive dogs are waiting in shelters for a family to join, and PETA encourages anyone with the ability and resources to care for an animal to adopt one from a local shelter.”

The Curfmans adopted Midnight from an animal shelter two and a half years ago. PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—notes that adopting an animal saves a life: More than 6 million dogs and cats enter U.S. animal shelters every year, and half of them have to be euthanized because there simply aren’t enough homes for them all.

PETA is sending the Curfman family a framed certificate and a letter of congratulations along with a “doggie bag” of toys and vegan treats for Midnight to enjoy.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.