Pup Saves Princeton Native's Life Who Had Seizure

PRINCETON, NJ — Several months ago, Judith Nostrand formerly of Princeton was in a building bathroom when her service dog, Trindle, began barking to let her know a seizure was coming on.

Nostrand, who suffers from seizures, took out her medication but was shaking so much that she broke her injector.

Trindle took over from here.

Trindle dragged Nostrand out of the bathroom and lowered her safely to the floor so that she would not hit her head, according to an EMS paramedic from Avondale Fire Company who treated Nostrand.

Nostrand's father, Joel S. Greenberg of Princeton, said Trindle saved his daugher's life. Trindle is an Irish Setter who can detect seizures.

"Trindle has the ability to detect the onset of a seizure about 30 minutes prior to its occurrence and is trained to inform my daughter of the forthcoming event by placing its paws on Judith’s shoulders and forcing her to lie down," Greenberg said.

When Nostrand suffered her seizure, Trindle sat beside her barking incessantly until someone eventually heard him and found her. When EMS arrived they found Trindle and in his harness were instructions from her doctor and her patient information.

Trindle never left Nostrand's side even on the ambulance ride to the hospital.

"Without this dog who knows what would've happened. The whole trip he wouldn't leave her side. This gave me a whole new respect for service animals and what they do! He definitely saved his human's life," said the EMS paramedic.

Greenberg noted that even at the hospital Trindle remained by her side even into the emergency room.

"Without such a service dog Judith would not be able to lead a normal life," Greenberg said.

(Images via Joel S. Greenberg: Trindle on the ambulance ride to the hospital with Judith Nostrand)

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