As bushfires raged through rural Corryong in Victoria, Australia, toward a family farm, a heroic border collie mix named Patsy saved her owner’s flock of sheep from the flames.
Australian Dog Saves Sheep: Video
In the video, Patsy sits on the scorched earth with the rescued sheep calling safely in the background. You can hear Cath Hill, Patsy’s owner’s sister, praise the dog for a job well done: “Hey Patsy. You hear those sheep? That’s all your work. Well done, hey. You little champion. Good girl.”
Border collies are known to be exceptionally smart, and Patsy, a 6-year-old border collie mix, showed her intelligence, strength, and nerves of steel by doing what comes naturally on the morning of New Year’s Eve.
While her owner headed toward the fire in a tractor with a tank of water to help save the hay, a shed, silage, and the farmhouses, Patsy kept a cool head, rounded up the sheep, and brought them safely to a paddock.
Saved from the Wildfire
As this was happening, the locals in town thought Patsy and her owner were dead. Hill wrote on Instagram:
“The first few seconds of this video show the fire burning across the mountain and our farm. When Patsy’s human saw this footage, he really understood why all of us in town thought he and Patsy were goners.”
Fires Burning in Australia
Australia’s recent wildfires have been top of mind throughout the world. And Patsy’s story has gone viral, bringing more attention to the tragedy.
Patsy’s owner is social media shy, so Hill has been posting to bring attention to the dire situation.
Hill wrote:
“I never dreamed that these 20 seconds of Patsy in a paddock would spread across the world, and that me posting pictures of a little black and white dog would become my way to help my hometown recover from the worst fires in living memory.”
Doing What Comes Naturally
The fire season continues to rage in Australia. Hill notes that it’s easy to help by donating to bushfire relief. “No matter how small it is, trust me, it will be appreciated. Every little bit helps!”
We’re sure Patsy would agree.
Rescue and relief organizations seeking donations include Wildlife Victoria, Blaze Aid, and Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery.
Good Girl, Patsy!
You can follow Patsy on Instagram.
