Rarely are calls to 911 deemed adorable, but a recent incident in Lakeville, Minnesota challenges this norm. Repeated calls to the police led to a peculiar situation where the dispatcher could only hear the lively barking of two dogs.
In response to multiple 911 calls from a residence, two officers were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, they discovered no human occupants but were greeted by two exuberant dogs. Officer Emiles Bares shared, “It was just kind of weird. Usually, people come to the door. Seeing two dogs go hyper is not something I see all the time.”
Initially assuming an accidental call, the officers were surprised to learn from dispatch that there were 16 calls made from the residence. Opting for further investigation, they contacted the homeowner, who was at work, and were granted permission to enter.
Inside, the officers encountered two friendly and energetic dogs. Officer Roberts, reflecting on the situation, stated, “Our assumption is the dogs were having a rough day, and it was the dogs that were seeking assistance through 911.”
Reporters from Fox 9 attempted to interview the dogs about their multiple 911 calls, but the canines declined to leave a comment. Their interest, however, extended to sniffing the microphone during the interaction.
The homeowner, dogs, and the inadvertently dialed cell phone’s owner later informed the media that he had learned his lesson and would keep his phone out of reach. The humorous episode prompted a reflection on the unexpected ways pets might interact with technology.
While accidental 911 calls by pets are not uncommon, efforts are underway to train dogs to purposefully dial emergency services. Melody Jackson from the animal-computer interaction lab at the Georgia Institute of Technology is pioneering the use of touchscreens to empower dogs to contact emergency services on behalf of those in need. Jackson stated, “We think that, literally, this could change lives, make lives so much better, and be a life-saver.” The incident in Lakeville, Minnesota, may just be the beginning of a new era where our furry friends can lend a helping paw during emergencies.
Learn more about these adorable dogs phoning 911 16 times in the video below!
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