LAHARPE — Beverly Higinbotham was more than willing to give Scooter a few extra treats.
“He’s our hero for the day,” Higinbotham said of the 18-month old dachshund who seemed largely oblivious to the extra attention he was receiving.
Higinbotham figures Scooter helped prevent what could have been a disaster in the early morning hours Wednesday at the Higinbotham home in LaHarpe.
Scooter alerted Higinbotham’s daughter, Carey Dean, that a burner had been left on beneath a burning pan of cheesy corn.
The gas stove’s flame had been on low, but had been forgotten long enough for the food to burn to a crisp.
Higinbotham was unsure how much longer the heat would have built up before nearby wood cabinets would have ignited.
“I’m glad we didn’t have to find out,” she said.
Dean was asleep in a nearby room when Scooter began barking loudly and licking her face.
“It was pretty unusual for her to do that,” Dean said, who awakened to smell the burning food and see the smoke wafting through the kitchen.
She quickly turned off the burner, removed the pan and alerted her mother.
Scooter is one of seven dogs Bev and husband Don shelter in their home: three other dachshunds, a Chihuahua and two labrador retrievers. All have been spayed or neutered and are cared for in the manner most would treat their children.
“We love our dogs,” Higinbotham said.
Especially Scooter.
“He was the only one who woke us up,” she said. “A hero.”
