Animal lover whose life was saved by her dog gives back to pets in need

An animal lover whose life was saved by her family dog as a child has ensured pets in need will benefit for years to come, thanks to a generous legacy.

Enid Gregory was just a young girl when her beloved dog Jack, raised the alarm and alerted her parents that their home was alight. 

According to a newspaper report from the time, Jack awakened his owners by barking and scratching in the parlour of the grocer's shop that the family ran and lived above in Whitton, south west London. Jack then went with Mrs Gregory's father to the alarm post to call the fire brigade.

A clipping from the newspaper reads: “Mr and Mrs Walter C Deller, who keep a grocer’s shop at the address stated, were awakened by the barking and scratching of their dog in the shop parlour below their bedroom. ‘It’s burglars,’ was their first thought, and Mr Deller, partially dressed, went downstairs to see what the burglar wanted. On opening the shop parlour door he was met with a cloud of smoke and fumes, which nearly overpowered him. He rushed back to his wife and child, took them with their scanty attire to a place of safety, and then with his dog, who would not leave him, rushed off to call the brigade from the alarm post.”

Brave Jack was awarded the National Canine Defence League's bronze medal in 1938 in honour of his heroics.

Throughout Mrs Gregory's adult life she kept dogs and made regular donations to Blue Cross to help towards our charity's care of sick, injured and homeless pets.

In her Will, Mrs Gregory generously left her estate to Blue Cross so that her love of the animals who shared her home and her heart would live on long after her death.

We are extremely grateful to Mrs Gregory for her gift, and hope she would have been pleased to know that it will help us to care for a great many sick, injured and homeless pets for many years.