Purina honours blind northern Ont. dog who saved his family from fire

A blind Great Pyrenees, Toph, and a Doberman, Night, are being inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame.

A husband and wife from St. Charles, Ont., say they’re alive today thanks to Toph, their blind Great Pyrenees, who woke them up last summer when fire broke out in their home.

For his efforts, Toph is one of two Canadian dogs to be inducted into the 2025 Purina Animal Hall of Fame.

Judy Spry, 38, was jolted awake on July 16 in her basement suite by her pup.

“At just three years old, Toph’s heightened senses had detected smoke, and his relentless barking alerted Judy and her husband, Chris, to the fire spreading upstairs,” a news release from Purina said on Tuesday.

“Chris rushed to warn Judy’s elderly parents, only to be forced back by overwhelming heat and smoke.”

Judy and Chris managed to escape the fire, along with their husky-mix, Aya and Toph.

“Pulling Toph — who weighs nearly 100 pounds — to safety required quick thinking, a garden hose fashioned into a harness, and help from a neighbour who was also a volunteer firefighter,” Purina said.

“Tragically, Judy’s parents and their pets did not survive the fire. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Judy credits Toph with saving her and Chris’ lives.”

‘He’s my hero’

“He’s my hero dog,” Judy said in the release.

“If it wasn’t for him, we would have probably died from smoke too.”

“Today, Judy and Chris are rebuilding their lives, deeply grateful to the blind dog whose instincts and bravery spared them from the flames,” the release said.

Since its inception in 1968, Purina’s Animal Hall of Fame has recognized 196 animals — including 168 dogs, 27 cats, and one horse — for life-saving acts of heroism across the country.

Toph enters the hall of fame with Night, a Doberman from Cochrane, Alta., who saved his owner from a grizzly bear that was charging him at full speed.

“Together, Night and Toph join a distinguished legacy of pets recognized through the Purina Animal Hall of Fame,” Purina said.

“Their remarkable stories remind us that humans and animals are truly better together, connected by bonds of trust and bravery. As Canadians reflect on this year’s inductees, these heroic dogs stand as powerful examples of the life-saving bond between people and their pets.”