Dog saying goodbye to dying officer suddenly

A Dog’s Loyalty Saves Officer’s Life — Twice

They say dogs are man’s best friend, and Reno, a police K9, proved that to be true in an incredible story of loyalty, bravery, and instinct.

Ambushed in the Woods

Officer Cory Masterson and his dog Reno were chasing suspects in the woods when Cory was suddenly ambushed and hit in the head. As he lay unconscious, a man approached him with a knife. Reno leapt in, biting the attacker’s arm and holding on, even after being injured himself. “Despite getting injured himself, he wouldn’t let go of the man’s arm.” After the suspect fled, Reno found help and led officers to Cory, who was rushed to the hospital.

Waiting and Watching

Cory had a skull fracture and fell into a coma. Reno wasn’t allowed in the ICU but waited at the hospital’s emergency entrance. When Cory was moved home for long-term care, Reno stayed close by. One night, Reno sensed a change and woke the nurse. She followed him and saw movement in Cory’s fingers—he was slowly waking up. “Over time, he started getting better… although his health was still very fragile.”

A Second Rescue

One night, Cory collapsed again. Reno rushed to alert the nurse. Medics performed CPR, but eventually stopped, believing he was gone. Reno, however, growled and barked, refusing to leave Cory. Moments later, Cory suddenly coughed. “Doctors were stunned to witness the Lazarus effect… an inexplicable and extremely rare phenomenon.”

A Best Friend Through It All

Reno never gave up on Cory—through danger, coma, and even apparent death. His unshakable loyalty saved his partner not once, but twice. “When everyone else had given up hope, Reno hadn’t.”