Piper, the Hero

A little over two years ago, Legacy Boxer Rescue took in a very sweet, scared, and hurting boxer, and named her Piper. She had probably been hit by car, and had a badly broken leg.


In addition to the broken leg, she was too skinny and had kennel cough. After her wonderful foster mom, Rhonda, fattened her up a little and nursed her through her kennel cough, she went to see the surgeon. Despite the fact that the vet really wanted to save her leg, the injury was too old, and they had to amputate.

To Piper, having three legs was no big deal. She could play with the best of them. She grew stronger and happier every day. And then it happened. A wonderful woman, Laurie, and her young daughter, Lilly, fell for Piper. It was a match made in heaven. Piper was finally going home to the perfect family that she deserved. Her story doesn't end there.


Piper decided her mom had to help other boxers, and Laurie became a wonderful Legacy Boxer Rescue volunteer. We were all thrilled, because we got to hear regular stories of Piper's adventures.

Last week, though, Piper became a true hero. That fateful day, Piper's mom, Laurie, was having a hard time with her asthma. She did her usual treatments, and went to bed with a headache. Piper snuggled in next to her mom as usual. Then, Laurie started having a HORRIBLE dream that she was swimming, but kept going under water and getting scratched by branches under the water. She finally woke up, struggling to breathe and hurting. What had caused the pain was Piper, who had been biting and scratching her mom to get her to wake up. Laurie was dizzy from lack of oxygen, and her breath was whistling every time she tried to breathe in. She was able to give herself her epipen and call a friend to come stay with her in case she had to go to the ER.

Piper saved her mom's life! Laurie said, "I was so oxygen deprived when she woke me up, my body felt like it was 1000 lbs. She is SUCH an awesome dog. I keep looking at my scratches and little bruised nip marks on my arms and thinking "THANK GOD!""

Never fear, though, Piper got her reward! Laurie's "Thank You" to Piper for her deed the other night was cooking her a nice steak. The whole family had steak too, but Piper got her own. She got steak and potatoes. After dinner, Lilly, Laurie, and Piper sprawled out on the couch "digesting." Lilly was lying against Piper, and heard this tummy grumble, whistle, bubbly, icky noise, and then all of a sudden.

FFFppphhhpppeeerrraaattt!!!!!!

It sounded like a bear! "OMG, PIPER!!!!!" Lilly, 5 years old, jumped off the couch holding her nose and yelled, "NO MORE STEAK!" Piper was obviously taken off guard, because she jerked her head toward her butt as if to say "WHAT WAS THAT????" Lilly refused to go sit back by Piper.

The moral of the story:

Rescue a boxer - there may be some gas,

but the life you save may be your own!

Go Piper, the Hero!

**thanks to Rhonda and Laurie for excerpts of the story