The Bordman family in Cambridge, Ontario recently got a very special Guide Dog From Lion’s Foundation of Canada. The Bordman’s 12 year-old twin girls, Jade and Brooke, are Type 1 diabetics and in need of constant monitoring of their blood sugar 24/7. Their guide dog Nettle monitors their blood sugar and alerts the parents in case the sugar gets too low.
Having only lived with the family for 3 days, Nettle awoke up the girls parents at 2:30am to let them know that something was not right. In the past the Bordman’s would wake up regularly to check their daughters sugar levels and at their last check at 12am, their levels were fine. But by 2:30am, Jade’s levels were in serious danger and her parents were not scheduled to check them until 3am.
After Nettle’s alert, the Bordman’s were able to get Jade the help she needed. If they had waited any longer, Jade could have lost consciousness or even worse, died.
The girls father Terry Bordman stated:
“My wife and I have come to the realization that over the last nine, ten years the girls have probably been going low during the middle of the night, and we weren’t even aware of it”
Nettle’s quick thinking and heroic behavior was honored in Toronto, Canada, at The Purina Hall Of Fame. The heroic dog and her family were presented with a medal and a portrait of Nettle.
Nettle is an important reminder of just how incredibly valuable guide dogs can be. Whether blind, anxious, or in this case with diabetes, they are there for the humans they love.
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