A dog which saved its owner’s life by waking her when her bed caught FIRE is to receive a bravery award.
Loyal Barbie climbed onto sleeping owner Rosemary Field, 72, in the early hours of the morning and began licking her to wake her up.
The great grandmother, a registered blind diabetic, told the seven-year-old Jack Russell to go back to sleep but the dog persevered.
Rosemary opened her eyes as Barbie would not stop licking her – and found her bed was alight.
She attempted to put out the blaze – cause by a lamp falling onto her bed and setting fire to her bedding and the carpet – with a pint glass of water.
But the smoke was too severe and Rosemary was forced to flee the home with Barbie, her other dog Babe and budgie Joey.
Firefighters arrived at Mrs Field’s home in Kingswood, Bristol, and found the blaze was already extinguished.
But rescue workers reckon Mrs Field could have died if it had not been for brave Barbie.
She said: “I can’t do enough for little Barbie now – I’ve been giving her lots of treats since it happened.
“She usually sleeps on my bed but when she started licking my face so early in the morning I was quite annoyed.
“It wasn’t until I woke up more that I saw the bottom of my bed was on fire. I tried to put it out but there was a lot of smoke.
“My main worry was to get all my animals out but the cat wouldn’t come. Luckily the fire was out by the time the firefighters got here and everyone was OK.
“They told me it was very lucky that Barbie had woken me up, or I might have slept through it and died.”
Mrs Field, who has three children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, has owned Barbie since she was a puppy.
The dramatic rescue happened at 5.45am when a lamp fell onto her bed and ignited the sheets.
Barbie is now set to receive an award from animal charity the RSPCA to commend her brave actions.
Eddie Grinham, the RSPCA Bristol and District branch manager, said: “I was touched by how alert Barbie was to the danger her owner was in.
“It is an incredible story of the strong bond between a dog and its owner – sensing danger this little dog did not run away but overcame her own fear to persist in trying to get her owner to come with her.
“I believe Barbie should be awarded for her actions.”
