# "What's that skippy?, Jim fell down the mineshaft, broke his leg, you want me to..." **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523 "2003-06-26T14:59:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523/21 "2003-06-27T00:45:28Z")
A couple of years ago Reuters reported a Vancouver news story went as follows: > [@](#): > > \*\*When a family of ducklings fell down a Vancouver sewer grate their mother did what any parent would do. She got help from a passing police officer. > > Vancouver police officer Ray Peterson admitted he was not sure what to make of the duck that grabbed him by the pant leg while he was on foot patrol on Wednesday evening in a neighborhood near the city’s downtown. “I though it was a bit goofy, so I shoved it away,” Peterson told the Vancouver Sun newspaper. > > The mother duck persisted, grabbing Peterson’s leg again when he tried to leave, and then waddling to a nearby sewer grate where she sat down and waited for him to follow and investigate. > > “I went up to where the duck was lying and saw eight little babies in the water below,” he said. Police said they removed the heavy metal grate with the help of a tow truck and used a vegetable strainer to lift the ducklings to safety. > > Mother and offspring then departed for a nearby pond. \*\* Not quite as spectacular as a duck rescuing 8 _human_ babies, but still worth an “awwwww.” ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523/22 "2003-06-27T02:42:51Z")
[Lone Ranger to his horse] “I said _posse_!” [/Lone Ranger voice] About as believeable as most of the other animal stories. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523/23 "2003-06-27T03:37:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fear Itself \* > \*\*[http://www.heinzdoghero.com/](http://www.heinzdoghero.com/) > > There is a dog hero for each year from 1954 on; not all rise to the “Jimmy down the well” level of heroism, but many do. \*\* What a great link - I love the black and white pictures, especially the older ones from the 50s and 60s. Someone must be chopping onions in here, because I think my eyes were just watering. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523/24 "2003-06-27T03:45:12Z")
I once read about some seagulls banging on a beach house window and then leading the home owners to a woman that had fallen off a cliff and was injured bellow. That the woman used to feed the gulls, and that´s how far my un-cited, fuzzy memory goes. ---
**Author:** ![Mentor\_and\_Liar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mentor\_and\_Liar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mentor_and_Liar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523/25 "2003-06-27T05:32:31Z")
When I was a child we had a Saint Bernard who would gently grab one of my parents’ arms in his mouth, and drag Mom or Dad to my room when I was having an asthma attack. True story, happened many times. ---
**Author:** ![Breezy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Breezy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breezy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523/26 "2003-06-27T20:21:12Z")
Why is that hard for me to believe from somebody named Mentor and Liar? haha ---
**Author:** ![frixxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@frixxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frixxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523/27 "2003-06-27T20:37:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\*[Lone Ranger to his horse] > “I said _posse_!” > [/Lone Ranger voice] > > \*\* OMG, I hadn’t heard that joke in an eon! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523/28 "2003-06-27T23:59:51Z")
What about that dolphin that sacrificed itself for Batman and Robin? If I remember correctly, the dynamic duo had been tied to a buoy by some sicko super villain and were only seconds away from certain death as a torpedo sped towards them. The dolphin deliberately swam in front of the torpedo, thus causing it’s detonation and saving the lives of B and R. I realise that many animals may have taken a bullet now and then to save people, but this was a bloody great torpedo! No chance of a nice flipper wound and a medal from the mayor after that. No sir! That’s why I think it’s wrong that the Japanese eat dolphins. What if they’ve eaten all the heroic ones? Why do you think you never see super heroes at sea anymore? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523/29 "2003-06-28T01:29:36Z")
Some dog breeds have an instinct that helps them detect seizures in humans. I’ve seen on telivision where some of the dogs can even predict them before they happen. Here’s a [cite](http://www.k94life.org/dogservseiz.htm): > [@](#): > > This is a specialized type of service dog. These dogs are chosen because of specific personality and behavioral traits that indicate they may be able to use their instincts to alert an individual to an impending seizure. While this skill is not actually trained it can be reinforced. There are numerous other skills related to this specialized service dog that makes its training unique. All seizure alert dogs progress through the usual service dog training in obedience and socialization with an emphasis on particular behaviors during erratic handler activity. Also, right before I read this thread I watched an “Amazing Animals” show and they showed a dog who was out training with his owner when the guy had a heart attack. The dog helped him get back home by dragging the guy by the leash (the guy was concious, he did crawl some). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-that-skippy-jim-fell-down-the-mineshaft-broke-his-leg-you-want-me-to/184523.md?page=1)