ChiChi the Chihuahua-Mix Named Hero Pet of the Year

Aug 24th 2009

As a puppy, ChiChi was rescued from abusive owners. Years later, at the ripe old age of 13, the Chihuahua-mix returned the favor by saving the lives of two elderly women in danger of drowning at a beach. This month, ChiChi was voted Reader's Digest Hero Pet of the Year.

Before he became a hero, ChiChi had been living with cruel owners who thought it entertaining to beat, kick, and throw the little dog out of a moving car. Mary and Rick Lane's niece Heather saved the pup and soon moved in with her aunt and uncle in Greensboro, North Carolina, while attending a nearby college. Aunt Mary wasn't looking to bring a dog into her home, but when ChiChi came into the picture, something all too common happened.

"I fell head over heels in love with him," Mary told Paw Nation. "He's so smart and expressive," she said. "His ears perk up and do one of about 50 different things. He has so many ways of telling me what he wants to do, exactly how he wants to do it, and when he wants to do it." She fell so hard for the guy that when Heather eventually moved out, her niece graciously allowed ChiChi to stay with the Lanes.

And now, Mary and Rick have even more reason to love little ChiChi: he is a literal life saver.

Last October, Mary, Rick, and ChiChi were enjoying a day at Indian Beach on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The Lanes set up a blanket and umbrella for their dog, tying his leash to the beach chair they brought for him because, "He doesn't like to lie on the sand," explains Mary. The three sat in a row on their beach chairs, the Lanes reading and ChiChi dozing.

It was late morning when the Lanes heard a little boy in the water shouting, "Help! Help!" Alarmed, the Lanes looked up, but the boy was only joking. The boy played this frightening trick several more times, and each time, the Lanes looked up worriedly. But ChiChi didn't stir.

As the day turned to dusk, the beach emptied. Deeply engrossed in their books, they didn't notice two women in the water.