Why This Heartwarming Story of a Hero Dog Is Going Viral on Twitter
"I will never get mad at him for barking—ever again."
Last Saturday was #NationalPuppyDay, which means social media was gloriously flooded with posts from proud puppy parents eager to celebrate the everyday wonder that is dogs.
Today is very special to a certain Mr. Wick. #NationalPuppyDay pic.twitter.com/oOTNquKjmS
— keanu reeves (@keanure23055745) March 24, 2019
But while many stories got lots of well-deserved attention, there was one Twitter thread about a very good boy named Hank that went especially viral for reminding people of what heroes dogs really are.
I want to tell you a story about Hank, and I want you to know that it has a happy ending. This is Hank 6 years ago. pic.twitter.com/YLXcJYAw9C
— Ulysses S. Cocksman (@USCocksman) March 23, 2019
The night before he posted the thread, the Twitter user was finishing up a movie while his wife and kids were asleep in another room, when Hank started barking up a storm. So he dragged himself off of the couch to calm Hank down, only to find that there was a huge fire blazing in his backyard.
So I dragged myself off the couch and went out to the living room to make him stop. As soon as I came around the corner, I saw that the entire yard was glowing orange.
— Ulysses S. Cocksman (@USCocksman) March 23, 2019
"The very large wooden work shed full of gasoline, paint and God knows what else was blazing. The oaks were on fire. Flaming leaves and embers were blowing everywhere," he wrote.
He woke up his family, called 911, and got everyone out just as the "neighbor's shed went up like a torch." They managed to wake up the neighbor and get her out safely just as the firefighters arrived.
We got everyone up, 911 on the line, the whole family and both dogs out front in what felt like a few seconds. The fence and the neighbor's shed went up like a torch. We were able to wake her up and get her kids and dog outside just as the fire crew got there.
— Ulysses S. Cocksman (@USCocksman) March 23, 2019
The fire crew got to work just as the fire spread to the back of the house. "A minute or two more, and it was gone," he wrote. "Instead, everyone is safe, and we still have a house. It's black and crispy on one side, but it's totally intact."
And it's all thanks to this pup.
This is him today, 6 years after eating some shoes, 15 hours after saving our house and family. He can have all the shoes and steak he wants, and I will never get mad at him for barking, ever again. 15/10, the very best boy. pic.twitter.com/GsJYQKd9FA
— Ulysses S. Cocksman (@USCocksman) March 23, 2019
In addition to being inspiring, the story is also a great reminded to dog owners that, even if your dog is prone to excessive barking, you should never dismiss their frantic barks as they could very well be a warning that something very bad is happening. After all, a dog's entire reason for being is to protect its humans, and Hank is by no means the only canine hero out there.
Last December, a deaf 3-year-old border collie named Precious woke her owner up in the middle of the night and managed to guide her and the other dogs to safety while the house went up in flames, and even managed to rescue a kitten from the rubble. Last June, a six-month-old puppy named Todd went viral for taking a bite to the face while protecting his owner from a rattlesnake. In July, Frida the Navy rescue dog got her very own statue as a tribute to her incredible ability to find people in the rubble of earthquakes. And just last month, everyone fell in love with Flo the border collie after a video of her burrowing through an avalanche to rescue a trapped mountaineer went viral.
And if these stories rekindle your love of dogs, you'll definitely want to see these 50 Dogs So Ugly They're Actually Cute.
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