KEY POINTS:
He may be slightly overweight and a little long in the tooth, but Sam the fox terrier could give Lassie a run for her money.
Sam is being hailed a life saver after raising the alarm for 80-year-old owner Keith Marsh, who crashed down a steep bank on a remote King Country road and spent the night trapped in his vehicle.
Loyal Sam, thought to be aged between 12 and 14, kept his best mate warm in freezing conditions overnight, before climbing a steep bank to raise the alarm.
Two schoolteachers thought it odd to see Sam "in the middle of nowhere" about 8.30am on Friday and stopped to investigate. He promptly led the way to his elderly owner and an ambulance was called.
Yesterday, Marsh was still recovering and was not up to seeing visitors. His daughter Jenni Cox told the Herald on Sunday her dad was not badly hurt but had been severely shaken.
Known as "Grumpy" to locals, Marsh does not remember much about the accident. However, he did shed a tear when told Sam would be appearing in the paper and was lauded a hero.
Cox said the entire family were grateful to Sam. "Sam must have stayed with Dad overnight in the car and kept him warm because it gets bloody cold down there."
She said Sam obviously knew to get help. When the two schoolteachers stopped, "He took them straight to Dad."
She said Sam and her father had a special bond, that had grown stronger since her mother died four years ago. Sam was very protective of his owner, and, in return, he got lots of love and "heaps" of food.
