Nearly anyone who has adopted a dog or cat from a shelter may say that there’s something special about a rescued pet. It’s as if the animal senses it’s been given a second chance. That’s certainly the case with Juno, a Belgian Malinois who was rescued from a shelter just days before she was to be put to death. But since coming to live with her new family, Juno has taken on the role of rescuer to four-year-old Lucas Hembree.Lucas suffers from Sanfilippo syndrome, a health condition that has robbed him of much of his neurological functions, hearing and eyesight while becoming less and less mobile. As the disease worsened, Locas lost the ability to speak, walk and eat. The disease also causes severe neurological damage that leads to violent seizures. There is no treatment or cure, and his parents know should he live beyond 7 or 8, he will likely do so in a vegetative state. His life expectancy is only 10 to 15 years at most.Lucas’ parents wanted their son to experience as much as he can while he still has the capacity to enjoy it. Lucas’ father, Chester Hembree, was tired of seeing Lucas having to be confined to his wheelchair all the time. He wanted Lucas to be mobile while he still could, so he checked with a local service dog agency. When the agency told him that Lucas would not be able to use a service dog because of his condition and deteriorating abilities, Chester turned to a local shelter. A few months later, he came across Juno, the dog that would become Lucas’ constant companion.Located at a kill shelter about 2 hours away from the family, Juno was scheduled to be put to sleep. She had been taken to the shelter because her previous owners didn’t know anything about Malinois. Fortunately, Chester did. Chester had previously helped with the training of police canines back when he was a law enforcement officer and had at that time developed love for and got a good understanding of Malinois. In addition to being a popular choice for police dogs, Malinois is often used in armed combat. In fact, it is believed that a Belgian Malinois helped Navy SEALs take down Osama bin Laden. But while the breed has proven its achievements in military service, Chester needed to be sure Juno would be a suitable service dog for his little boy.As the boy and the dog bonded, Lucas’ parents noticed something special about Juno. Not only could she help keep Lucas from falling asleep, she could also detect when Lucas was about to have a seizure in time to alert an adult. Dangerously low oxygen levels typically happen before a seizure. Juno’s ability to detect this and warn Lucas’ parents impressed the Hembree family. Juno is a pefect example of an amazing dog rescuer. For the Hembree family, Juno is more than a companion for their son Lucas; she is a real hero. She has made such a difference in Lucas’s life by giving him extra confidence. She keeps him safer and calms him more effectively than anyone or anything else. Most importantly, she gives Lucas an abundant amount of unconditional love.