Hero Dog May Be Saved from Shelter Today

A good Samaritan who protected a Labrador Retriever guarding the body of a dog that had been killed by a hit-and-run driver on a busy La Puente street is expected to adopt the animal today.

The black Labrador -- named Grace by workers at the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center -- will be spayed and then released to the man who saw her standing guard on a busy La Puente street last week, said Evelina Villa of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.

The man, whose name has not been released, spotted the dog on Hacienda Boulevard and placed traffic cones on the street around it and the fatally injured yellow Labrador. He called animal control workers, then took photos and video. YouTube video of Grace sitting by her companion's body can be viewed at right.

Grace was taken to the Baldwin Park Shelter, which is also the default shelter for lost animals in Altadena.  Because of the connection local wildlife and animal activist Lori Paul sent out an email Monday morning seeking potential adopters.

That appears to no longer be necessary - Villa said that if the good Samaritan somehow ended up not adopting Grace, there are five other people who have indicated they want to do so. 

Grace had no identification tag and no microchip to identify its owner. As of today, it had not been claimed.

Animal control workers retrieved the dead dog and the black Labrador, then circulated the photos and video to news media, and the story garnered international attention.

"She's a rock star," Aaron Reyes, also of the county Department of Animal Care and Control, said in broadcast interviews this morning. "You know what I think makes her so famous is just her display of compassion and loyalty. She sat there with her buddy..."

Villa also noted that Grace is not the only animal that needs a home.

"We want to emphasize that our animal-care centers have a wonderful selection of pets available for adoption," Villa said.