A golden retriever service dog named Figo was injured after he stepped into the path of a mini school bus in an apparent attempt to protect his 62-year-old blind owner Audrey Stone when they were walking in Brewster, NY. The manager of a convenience store said, "I don't know if (the bus driver) thought (Stone) was going to move faster, but it looks like the dog tried to take most of the hit for her."
The Journal News described Figo's heroism: "When the service dog saw an oncoming mini school bus heading for Stone, the blind woman he was trained to guide, the golden retriever's protective instincts kicked in: He threw himself at the closest part of the vehicle he could. Police photos show the result: fur stuck to the front driver's side wheel and in the middle of Michael Neuner Drive, where the bus came to a stop after striking the pair."
The bus driver said he didn't see Stone or Figo, who were in an unpainted crosswalk, as he was making a left turn. He was ticketed for "failing to yield to a pedestrian."
Stone's injuries include a fractured right elbow, three broken ribs and a fractured ankle. Police Chief John Del Gardo said Figo "did not want to leave the side of the woman at all…it was the same thing with her, she did not want to leave the dog’s side"—even though Figo's right leg was cut down to the bone. He added, "[Stone] was very, very concerned about the dog. My officers that were there and the Fire Department assured her everything would be fine."
The convenience store manager, Paul Schwartz, said, "The dog was being a good sport, really calm. He sat with me the whole time. He was limping as we put him on a big blanket on the sidewalk and it started to rain. He let us wrap up his leg without any problem. He wasn't barking or crying or yelping. But he kept pulling toward her. After she was put on a gurney and taken away, he stopped doing that. He seemed a little lost after she left."
Apparently responding EMS would not allow Figo to travel in the ambulance with Stone; the ADA says that service animals are allowed to be in ambulances, but noted, "Obviously, in this case, the dog needed emergent care and a person hospital can't do that. It was correct to separate them for the health of the dog, but if the dog were healthy, the handler and dog must never be separated."
Figo is staying at Middlebranch Veterinary until Stone is released from the hospital. She told WCBS 2, "I thank him. I thank God that I have him and that he survived too. I love him... I want to get home to my dog." And here's WCBS 2's segment—awwwww, Figo!
Apparently his vets are hoping to set up a video chat so he see and hear Stone—someone film that!
