Senior deaf dog startled his family by suddenly barking in the middle of the night — but what they saw outside their house made them call 911

Even though he couldn’t hear any sounds, something seemed off to the dog, and he immediately leaped into motion.

PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO

(L) An old golden retriever dog in the backyard. (R) Two police officers. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Drbouz, (R) kali9)

Dogs are often known for their strong protective instincts, and even as they grow older, these qualities can remain sharp. One such example comes from a then 12-year-old Golden Retriever named O'Reilly in Tampa, Florida, in 2018. Despite being completely deaf for over two years, O'Reilly's actions in the middle of the night proved that age and hearing loss couldn't stop him from taking action when something felt wrong. When his owners woke up to his constant barking, they didn't know he was actually alerting them to a dangerous situation.

An old golden retriever dog lying on the ground. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Thinnapat)

As reported by Fox 13 Tampa Bay, O'Reilly woke up in the night when two burglars were breaking into multiple cars in his neighborhood. Even though he couldn’t hear any sounds, something seemed off to the dog, and he immediately leaped into motion. "It's just amazing, the fact that he's completely deaf and something made him twerk,” O'Reilly’s owner, Eric Stevens, said. "He barked, thank God, and he was right there next to me on the couch." "He's always been my daughter's protector," Stevens shared with the outlet, reaffirming his belief that his pet's loyalty played a role in his heroic actions.

A female police officer handcuffs a man. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Hill street studios) — A female police officer handcuffs a man. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Hill street studios)

O'Reilly's owners, realizing something was wrong, quickly called 911. His sudden and urgent alert led to police arriving on the scene, and before long, the situation was under control. "He has been completely without hearing for nearly two years, but when two burglars went on a crime spree... he woke up and sprang [sic] into action, barking to alert his owners to what was going on," the news station’s Facebook video noted. "Police were able to catch the burglars and return the stolen property, all thanks to his sixth sense," they further added.

Contented golden retriever enjoying time on back yard with his pet owner (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty | Jaromir) — Contented golden retriever enjoying time in the back yard with his pet owner (Representative Image Source: Getty | Jaromir)

What makes O'Reilly’s actions particularly impressive is that he was able to detect the danger without being able to hear anything happening around him. Many internet users came forward to praise the senior dog's heroic actions. Jan West penned in the comment section of the news channel's video, "This hero used the instincts he was born with to help his humans. An animal may get old, but certainly not worthless. Love the senior animals!" While Facebook user Sarahi Villalobos wrote, "God Bless this fur baby."

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This, however, wasn't the first time a pet canine had stepped up to save the day. In another incident, a family dog helped prevent a terrifying situation in St. Petersburg, Florida, in December 2024. While playing in their fenced backyard, a family’s 3-year-old child was suddenly grabbed by a stranger, Ronald Lee Klein, who had entered the yard. Before he could take the child, the family dog began barking loudly, sensing something was wrong. The barking caught the attention of someone nearby, likely the child's mother, who immediately confronted Klein. Startled, he released the child and fled. Thanks to quick action from officers and nearby surveillance footage, Klein was soon arrested. He was later charged with attempted kidnapping and trespassing.