Service dog in US throws himself in front of bus to protect blind owner; both are on the mend

WATCH ABOVE: A woman in Brewster may have been recently saved by her service dog when it jumped in front of a bus to protect her. Lou Young reports.

BREWSTER, N.Y. – A service dog threw himself in front of a mini school bus in the state of New York to try to protect his blind owner and stayed by her side as emergency responders tended to the injured pair, authorities said Tuesday.

Both Figo, the golden retriever, and his owner, Audrey Stone, were getting better after Monday’s collision with the mini school bus in Brewster, about 60 miles (100 kilometres) north of New York City.

“The dog took a lot of the blow,” Brewster Police Chief John Del Gardo said. “And he did not want to leave her side. He stood right with her. He was there to save her.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The dog took a lot of the blow," Brewster Police Chief John Del Gardo said. "And he did not want to leave her side. He stood right with her. He was there to save her."

Stone, 62, suffered a broken ankle, elbow and ribs and a head wound and was still hospitalized on Tuesday, the police chief said.

Figo underwent surgery and has a leg splint. The driver was given a summons for failing to yield to a pedestrian. The two kindergarteners on the bus weren’t injured.