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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Grace of Letting Go: How to Not Take Things Personally The Ultimate Sleep Aid Is in Your Pocket How Low-Key Billionaire Bernard Arnault Made His Fortune You Need a Permit for a Lemonade Stand? Tasty Apple Pie
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The Heroic Hound Who Saved a Life in Japan’s Tsunami
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A Dog’s Intuition: How Babu Saved Her Human From a Tsunami
The tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011 was unimaginable; the natural disaster killed nearly 20,000 people in minutes. But amid the chaos, there was at least one tiny miracle: an 11-year-old Shih Tzu named Babu. Tami Akanuma, an 83-year-old woman living in the coastal city of Miyako, had her typical morning interrupted by a 9.0 earthquake that shook her house roughly 200 yards from the coast. When it stopped, she breathed a sigh of relief, but Babu became extremely agitated. The small dog began frantically pacing around the living room, moaning, and jumping at the door. Though it was early for Babu’s morning walk, Akanuma decided to appease her. Sources differ on what happened next. Some say officials broadcast a tsunami warning, and Akanuma realized she must evacuate, while others state she knew nothing of the impending disaster. But
everyone agrees that Babu jumped into action. She instantly headed for a large hill near Akanuma’s home — the opposite direction of the pair’s usual walk. Akanuma did not dismiss the dog’s instincts. Babu tugged urgently at her leash, running as far as she could before turning to her owner. Akanuma said Babu seemed to be encouraging her to move faster, and the dog ran ahead every time Akanuma caught up. Akanuma later estimated they walked more than half a mile in a few minutes. Only moments after the duo finally reached the top of the hill, they watched an enormous wave wash over their home. The house was destroyed, but Akanuma and Babu escaped with their lives. How did Babu do it? People have long suspected that animals can predict natural
disasters, but the truth is elusive. Scientists agree that animals aren’t psychic but disagree on whether something else might be at play. Some attribute the supposed phenomenon to the “psychological focusing effect,” or a human tendency to emphasize one detail in our memories while discarding others. But others point to dogs’ heightened senses of hearing and smell, suggesting animals may be able to detect small atmospheric changes that humans can’t. No matter the explanation, Akanuma credited her dog with saving her life, and the two gratefully celebrated Babu’s 12th birthday from an evacuation shelter only weeks later.
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