BY The Associated Press
CROWN POINT, Ind. -- Rommel the German shepherd delivered his Christmas present three days early.
The 7-year-old dog awoke his owner early Tuesday in time to allow her to escape a buildup of poisonous carbon monoxide in her home. The owner, Marsha Marshall, was not injured.
"German shepherds really do seem to have a sixth sense, and he is a gift," she said. "I've had him from an 8-week pup. He always guards me, and I take him wherever I go."
An improperly vented chimney is being blamed for the buildup. "Since it was really cold that morning, my husband thought he would be a nice guy and turned on the gas logs full force when he left for work," she said.
Fumes quickly began to build up in the house, especially in the family room, where Rommel and the couple's other German shepherd, 3-year-old Seren, sleep. Mrs. Marshall had trained Rommel to stay off the new carpeting in the hallway leading to her bedroom, but the pet disregarded her instructions and entered the bedroom about 7 a.m.
"I feel Rommel nuzzling and pawing me like he's saying, 'Get up. Get up.' I was really surprised he was on the carpet. I thought
he was sick, so I thought I better hurry and get up and see
what's going on."
"About the time I got into the kitchen, next to the family room, I could smell something like burning oil."
"I knew it was the fireplace because the logs were on, and I checked the flue. It was fully closed," she said.
Without any vent, dangerous levels of carbon monoxide were accumulating.
Mrs. Marshall said she let the other dog outside, where it promptly vomited. She then opened a sliding glass door, and ventilated the house.
"I don't know if he saved my life, but he probably saved my other dog's life," she said.
