Overview

• On July 29 a pit bull led recovering addict Gary Thynes from a North Shore dog park to a tent encampment where its two unhoused owners had overdosed.
• Thynes immediately called 911 and police and paramedics arrived within minutes to transport the unresponsive couple to a hospital.
• The couple remains hospitalized with no public update on their condition as Thynes fosters their dog until they recover.
• The Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety issued formal thanks to the good Samaritan and first responders for their roles in the rescue.
• The incident highlights the acute overdose risks facing unhoused populations and the powerful bonds that can prompt animals to seek help.