Anyone who has the pleasure of owning a dog will know that they are fiercely loyal, and the story of Polo has illustrated this in the most bittersweet way this week.
Polo, the Poremski family’s beloved dog, has been credited with saving their infant daughter Viviana after a fire broke out at their Baltimore home.
According to local news outlet WBALTV.com, mum Erika was taking something out of her car when the fire suddenly broke out. She endured severe burns in her attempts to enter the house and save eight-month-old Viviana, but was overpowered each time.
Little Viviana was trapped on the second floor of the house, with neighbours even joining in the struggle to rescue her.
The fire service was called immediately, and when fire fighters finally reached Viviana they made a heart-wrenching discovery: family dog Polo was lying across the tot, in an effort to protect her.
“She only had burns on her side because of it. He stayed with her the whole time in the bedroom and wouldn’t even come downstairs to get out the door,” said Erika.
While medics were able to save Viviana, Polo sadly died in the incident.
Viviana is currently in intensive care, where she is being treated for burns to 19 percent of her body. While her condition is still considered ‘serious’, mum Erika said her little girl is ‘fighting’.
The cause of the fire is not yet known but is under investigation.
