Texas Dog ‘Buddy’ Hitches Ride Aboard Ambulance To Be With His Hospitalized Owner

Time and again we are reminded by dogs why they are truly a man’s best friend. In the latest such example of the close bonding between a dog and it’s human owner, we have Buddy, a young 35-pound Beagle mix who surprised everyone with his crazy antics last October. According to the Standard Times, the story started on October 26 when Buddy’s owner and ranch owner, 85-year-old Jack Nicholson, felt uneasy and one of his friends, Brian Wright, called in emergency services to send an ambulance.

When Mason County EMS responded to the call, it was just like any other call for them. They reached Nicholson’s ranch from where Nicholson was to be transported to a hospital in Fredericksburg, one hour away. After getting Nicholson in, the ambulance started its trip to the Hill County Hospital. Twenty miles into the trip, the driver of the ambulance was flagged down by another motorist who told him that there was a dog sitting on the side of the ambulance. The driver stopped the ambulance immediately – only to find little Buddy sitting on the small side step on the ambulance. The dog had, without anyone noticing, managed to hop on to the ambulance, just to be with his owner.

According to emergency medical technician Tanner Brown, who was aboard the ambulance when this happened, things got crazy.

“It was a crazy ordeal. We didn’t have anything else to do but to load the dog up and put him in the ambulance and take him to the ER with us.”

Meanwhile Brian Wright chose to remain at the ranch because he had to lock up the area before he could join Nicholson. He hadn’t noticed Buddy hitching a ride on the ambulance and thought that the dog was roaming around the ranch. He wasn’t particularly concerned because Buddy always made his way back at the end of the day. When he eventually reached the hospital, he was surprised when the EMS crew revealed that they had bought the dog along – and how Buddy had traveled for 20 miles.

Wright later said:

“Two things go through your mind in a split second. First, what could have happened to (Buddy), and second, you realize he is quite an animal.”

Wright later revealed that he found Buddy to be an extremely playful and curious dog. In fact, he did display his playfulness while inside the ambulance as well. According to Tanner Brown, the dog jumped on the control switch inside the vehicle and turned the lights and sirens on and off. He added that he had never seen a dog like this before.

“It was kind of weird. I guess the dog wanted to be with his owner.”

Nicholson was released from the hospital the same day – and the nurses there immediately brought him out to see his dog, Buddy.

Nicholson later quipped:

“I was impressed. He didn’t have to go to the hospital with me, but he did. He’s now a member of the family.”

Buddy was adopted by his owner from an animal shelter just four months ago.

[Image Via Yahoo! News]