MARION — Many Hoosiers consider their furry friends part of the family, but one Marion woman can say her dog saved her life.
Samantha Griffin is giving her dog Luna all the credit for sounding the alarm during high levels of carbon monoxide in her apartment.
The two-year-old Husky is now being hailed a hero.
"I've never had a dog do so much," Griffin said.
Six months ago, Griffin gave Luna, another name and another chance when she adopted her from Speedway Animal Rescue, an organization that works to find permanent homes for pets.
Little did Griffin know Luna would return the favor.
"She essentially saved our lives," Griffin said.
Last June, Griffin moved into a new apartment complex on 54th and Prestwick Square in Marion.
Weeks later Griffin said her water heater started leaking leading to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in her apartment.
She began feeling the symptoms.
"I had a migraine, so I went into my room and was resting like I normally do and she was not going to let me sleep," Griffin said.
Luna knew something was wrong.
"If she hadn't gotten me outside, I would fallen asleep in here like completely fallen asleep and probably wouldn't have woke up," Griffin said.
The canine got her owner outside before the carbon monoxide detector even went off.
"I grabbed all the kids that were in the house and called maintenance, the fire department and found very very high levels of carbon monoxide,” said Griffin.
"They were outside of our normal range of point zero nine parts per million," said Marion Fire Prevention Chief Brandon Eckstein.
Griffin said maintenance called the Marion Fire Department, who alerted the gas company.
They pinned the leak to the water heater, shut it off, and replaced the appliance.
Although Griffin had a working alarm and her family was able to make it out her apartment safely, Eckstein said he hopes this still serves as a reminder for others.
"With carbon monoxide it is odorless, there is no taste to it, you won't see it unless it's a very large leak," Eckstein said. "It may take your detectors a little bit of time depending on where they are located. Have your flue pipes checked yearly water heater," he added. “It's important to have carbon monoxide detectors close to those natural gas appliances."
For Griffin it's a bigger reminder of gratitude for Luna's Love.
"I got her to begin with because I have PTSD and I need that emotional support, but to find out she went above and beyond that, its incredible,” said Griffin. “I thank God that it's worked out this way and that she's here and she saved our lives."
