A dog who managed to recover from paralysis went on to help swerve a potential tragedy while out on a walk months later.
Lori Pacchiano’s French bulldog, Dallas, has been hailed a hero after she led her owner in a different direction while on a walk, only to stop and stare at a reversing car—which was close to hitting a child.
In January of this year, Dallas became completely paralyzed in her hind legs because of a degenerative disc disease, and underwent lifesaving spinal surgery to treat the condition. While the operation was a success, it was a long road to recovery, with her owner putting everything into caring for her disabled pet, including taking jobs that allowed her to stay home with her.
And slowly but surely, Dallas recovered, and the pair began returning to their walks in the neighborhood, with Dallas often leading the way. Pacchiano told Newsweek: “I indulge her because she can walk, and I’ll follow her wherever she wants to go.”
In August, Dallas chose a route that led to them helping save a child from the path of an oncoming car, with the entire incident caught on video.
Pacchiano said: “I was in shock initially; a lot ran through my mind.
“I felt like we had experienced some kind of divine blessing. Like this elaborate thing happened in our lives so we would be at the right place at the right time.”
Lori Pacchiano’s dog, Dallas, pulls her in a different direction while on a walk. They saw a car reversing from a garage, with a baby standing in the driveway.
TikTok @dalilhama
In a clip shared to her TikTok account @dalilhama on August 4, Pacchiano wrote: “Dallas saved a babies life today. It’s a miracle Dallas was completely paralyzed 6 months ago [sic].”
The video showed the pair on their usual stroll through their Seattle, Washington, neighborhood when Dallas suddenly stopped and stood stock-still, refusing to go any further, even as Pacchiano urged her forward.
Eventually, the owner allowed Dallas to go the direction she wanted, and the pup surged forward, running across the road and down another street, with Pacchiano urging her to slow down.
The pair then arrived opposite a house with an open garage, a car beginning to back out of it, where Dallas again stopped and began staring intently at the car—and a toddler, who was walking directly into its path.
Pacchiano began shouting at an adult walking behind the toddler: “She’s backing up! Does she see it? Run! Run!”
The adult pedestrian realized the toddler was in the path of the oncoming car, and sprinted forward, scooping the child into her arms. And the whole time, Dallas merely stared ahead.
Pacchiano said: “The thing that was weird was how eerily Dally stopped, frozen, as we turned the corner. My eyes began to track what Dally was locked on [to] and this baby was so tiny and standing so still.”
As Pacchiano watched, she noticed “the reverse lights of the car turn on,” so she screamed to the woman to get the child as she “had a better chance of reaching her faster.”
Dallas drags Pacchiano to the corner and then stands stock-still. The owner shouted to an adult about the danger, and the child was quickly scooped up.
TikTok @dalilhama
TikTok users were in awe, with Dallas’s video racking up almost 2 million views and nearly 260,000 likes. One commenter wrote: “GREAT JOB DALLAS.”
“Wait because the way the dog stopped pulling once you could see the baby,” another commented, as a third posted: “Dallas sensed that baby from afar away.”
Another praised Pacchiano as well as Dallas, writing: “THANK YOU for yelling! Yes, Dallas took you right there but so many people would just watch. You are amazing.”
Speaking to Newsweek, Pacchiano, 53, said: “I think this is maybe an important video to be shared because it reminds people to keep an eye on their little ones.”
“I think there was something magical that day, and it was special it was caught on video,” she added.
Frenchies like Dallas are beloved pets in the United States, and in 2023 topped the list of the American Kennel Club’s most popular breeds, beating the Labrador retriever and golden retriever.
French bulldogs are described by the AKC as affectionate, good with young children, alert and adaptable, and excellent watchdogs.
As Pacchiano put it: “I love this little dog more than anything; she is my best friend, she’s so smart.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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