SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- A Middlesex County family may owe their lives to their newly adopted dog, whose loud barking alerted them that their home was on fire.
South Brunswick authorities say John Cramer, 54, discovered the fire around 6:30 Sunday morning after he went downstairs to comfort Toby, a Norwegian elkhound who had been with the family for just two weeks.
Cramer saw flames creeping up the walls from the basement and getting close to Toby, who was in a crate. He freed the dog and then ran upstairs to rouse his wife and their 9-year-old daughter.
The family quickly escaped along with Toby and another elkhound, but they could not save their three cats, who died in the blaze.
The family was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where all three were treated for smoke inhalation and later released. The elkhounds were not seriously injured.
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