She’s being called the real-life Lassie. INSIDE EDITION follows the search and rescue dog that not only looks like the famous Collie, but is just as brave.
It's Lassie to the rescue, on a real life-or-death mission.
The five-year-old collie is the mirror image of the always brave and loyal Lassie that we fell in love with on television and in the movies.
But the new Lassie doesn't just play a hero, she's an actual member of San Luis Obispo's volunteer search and rescue team in central California.
Last week the collie found a missing woman who'd fallen into a creek bed after wandering into a remote area covered by thick brush.
"She knew she'd done something good, and she was all excited like the rest of us," said her owner Dave Smee.
On her downtime, Lassie's a typical pet.
She likes to play with her toys and enjoys tummy rubs.
But as soon as she gets a call for a search and rescue mission, Lassie jumps into action.
Smee is a plumbing contractor, but when someone's missing, finding them becomes his priority.
The four-legged hero gave INSIDE EDITION an exclusive demonstration of her lifesaving skills.
"Lassie will go out and find Nancy who will be hiding," said Smee.
The dog trainer wandered away and a red bell was placed on Lassie's collar, alerting her that it was time to search.
Lassie who's trained to find any human scent, tracked Nancy immediately and notified her owner:
"There she is! Good girl," said Smee.
Job well done, and something her legendary namesake would be proud of!
