When Danelle Ballengee met little Taz as a puppy in an animal rescue shelter, she knew that this fluffy ball of energy was the pup for her. She couldn’t have been more right! It became clear as Taz grew up that they were two peas in a pod. Danelle is an intense athlete and in 2002 was one of the top extreme adventure racers in the world, excelling at snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and kayaking, to name a few. The happy, high-power energy of Taz made him the perfect training partner for this dedicated athlete. But little did Danelle know that the dog she rescued would one day return the favor.

Taz and Danelle quickly became inseparable. Taz was easily able to keep up with Danelle during her various training sessions, even pushing her to go harder! The adorable four-legged athlete was even know to compete with Danelle on occasion, with the two always leading the pack. They were a perfect match.

The two have so much fun together, especially during training. To prepare for her various extreme events, Danelle is partial to running to build and maintain her cardio. Living out in the Utah, there are gorgeous deserts and canyons for the pair to run in – and run they do! Together, Taz and Danelle will run miles in the desert to prepare for events…although Taz has a tendency to get a little distracted and run after a critter or two!

But when it mattered most, Taz was there for Danelle. Once, while running in an abandoned Utah canyon, Danelle took a fall on the often perilous rocks of the gorge and shattered her pelvis. Alone in the desert and bleeding to death, there was little hope that somebody would pass by the isolated area.

Danelle’s chances of survival were extremely slim.

Luckily for her, she had brought her favorite running buddy, Taz, with her. Without even having to communicate it to him, Taz knew that Danelle was fatally hurt. He rushed off, ran miles back to civilization, and got help for Danelle. All on his own, Taz led the rescue team right to his dying owner, saving her life.

Danelle was rushed to the hospital and thankfully nursed back to health. But if she had been outside, bleeding in the hot desert in her condition for much longer, doctors said she may not have survived.

We’re all thinking it, right? Taz is a real life Lassie! Danelle completely acknowledges that Taz was her savior that day and that he knew exactly what he was doing when he went to get help.

“It’s a real life Lassie,” Danelle said to OWN in an interview. “He was on a mission to get somebody back to me. He knew exactly what he was doing.”

For his bravery, Taz received multiple medals of honor and was praised by local news as a hero – which he is! Taz’s biggest award? The ASPCA National Hero Dog Award, which is a huge honor, considering that police and war dogs are also considered for this countrywide honor.

What an extraordinary story! What do you think of this amazing act of bravery? Share your thoughts on this hero dog in the comments section below.