Poncho, a police dog from Spain performed CPR on a police officer as he pretended to collapse to see the dog’s reaction

Worldwide, dogs are considered to be man’s best friend, and for good reasons. Not only that, but they are potentially lifesavers, too.

A good example is Poncho, the dog who went viral on social media platforms as he performed CPR on a collapsed officer. The Municipal Police of Madrid decided to showcase Poncho’s skills through this video:

Not only does the dog perform CPR – an important life-saving first aid technique that can be performed when a person’s heart stops beating – but also checked for breathing.

Yearly, 475,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest; more than 350,000 of these happen outside the hospital, and 90% of them die. However, if CPR is performed correctly, it can double or triple the chances of living. Data from 2014 shows that around 45% of the persons who suffer heart attacks outside the hospital survived when someone performed CPR on them.

Why does this technique work? CPR works by keeping blood flowing through the body, offering valuable time as the sufferer awaits the arrival of medical staff.

Going back to Poncho, he is not the first dog to learn this important technique. Back in 2017, a German shepherd hit the headlines after performing CPR on his owner, saving his life.

Source: newsweek.com