Golden retriever honoured as 'CPR hero' after saving owner's life with bark

The couple, from Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh, experienced a terrifying night when Adam Cooke suffered a cardiac arrest whilst sleeping.

Polly's alarm raised awareness of the crisis.

Upon being woken by the retriever's unusual barking, Mrs Cooke discovered her husband experiencing abnormal breathing patterns before his breathing ceased entirely.

She subsequently administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation until emergency services arrived, ultimately preserving Mr Cooke's life through her swift intervention.

Mrs Cooke, aged 33, explained that their dog typically sleeps quietly in the kitchen situated beneath their bedroom and rarely barks during the night.

The retriever's distinctive barking immediately caught her attention.

Mrs Cooke's previous experience working as a carer enabled her to recognise the concerning sounds her 39-year-old husband was making.

"When I heard the noise Adam was making I sat bolt upright in bed, as I previously worked as a carer and it hit me that it was the same noise I've heard when people are taking their final breaths," she said.

An emergency call handler provided telephone guidance whilst she delivered chest compressions.

Mrs Cooke recalled encouraging her husband during the ordeal, saying: "Sometimes he would open his eyes and I was shouting, 'This isn't your time to go'."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Met Police in fresh 'two-tier' policing row after crackdown on farmers protest outside No10
• Trans athlete wins 'World's Strongest Woman' as 'rightful winner' storms off podium in protest
• Rob Rinder takes huge swipe at David Lammy: 'It's endangering the freedom of us all!'

Paramedics administered seven electric shocks during transport to hospital before Mr Cooke's cardiac rhythm stabilised.

He remained unconscious for six days before regaining awareness in his hospital bed, where medical staff informed him of his condition.

Doctors diagnosed him with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes the heart's primary pumping chamber to enlarge while its muscular walls thin and stretch, compromising the organ's ability to circulate blood effectively throughout the body.

During his three-and-a-half-week hospital admission, medical professionals observed that Mr Cooke possessed the cardiac fitness level comparable to an Olympic athlete, which contributed positively to his recuperation.

Before discharge, surgeons implanted a cardioverter defibrillator device in his chest, a preventative measure designed to regulate his heart rhythm and protect against future cardiac episodes.

Mr Cooke expressed profound appreciation for both his wife and their pet following his return home from hospital.

The emotional reunion with Polly proved particularly poignant for him.

"When I got out of hospital, I'll never forget seeing Polly again and knowing how she had intervened that night," he said.

"I just cuddled her and cried for 20 minutes.

Mrs Cooke believes the retriever detected the emergency within moments of it occurring, describing Polly as "the first responder" whose intervention enabled immediate commencement of life-saving chest compressions.

"What Hannah and Polly did the night I almost lost my life was incredible and I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude," Mr Cooke stated.

The couple described gaining a renewed outlook following the incident and announced they are expecting their second child next year.

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter