8. The loyal dog who waited 30 minutes for master to be rescued from freezing river



As if there wasn't enough evidence that dogs are just plain awesome, now comes the news that a man's loyal dog waited and watched for 30 minutes as the fire department rescued his owner after he crashed through thin ice on the Colorado River. The unidentified 60 year-old-man and his canine companion were out on the banks of the river for an afternoon of duck hunting. The man fell through the thin ice when he walked onto the ice to retrieve a duck.
 
Nearby hunters witnessed the accident and called 911. But while they waited for help, the man's dog refused to leave the scene. Like a worried relative in the waiting room, the dog paced back and forth, trying to reach the man, who repeatedly waved the dog off, fearing for its safety.

10. The guide dog who come back to save his owner during the WTC attack



On Sept. 11, 2001, Omar Eduardo Rivera, a blind computer technician, was working on the 71st floor of the World Trade Center with his guide dog, Dorado. When the hijacked plane hit the tower, Rivera knew it would take him a long time to evacuate the building, but he wanted his Labrador retriever to have a chance to get out so he unclipped his leash in the crowded stairwell. “I thought I was lost forever — the noise and the heat were terrifying — but I had to give Dorado the chance of escape. So I unclipped his leash, ruffled his head, gave him a nudge and ordered Dorado to go,” Rivera said.
 
Dorado was swept downstairs by the mass of evacuating people, but a few minutes later Rivera felt the dog nuzzling his legs — Dorado had come right back to his side. Dorado and a co-worker then helped Rivera climb down 70 flights of stairs, which took nearly an hour. Soon after they escaped the tower, the building collapsed, and Rivera says he owes his life to his faithful dog.