Oh, Henry! Labrador Retriever Falls 20 Feet, Lands On Top of Car, Survives

Paige Allford of San Diego still can’t figure out what was going through Henry, her 2-year-old Labrador retriever’s mind when he jumped over their neighbor’s balcony wall, falling 20 feet and landing on the roof of a car. Amazingly, after an emergency trip to the veterinarian, the lucky Lab was diagnosed with only minor injuries. Henry has since made a full recovery and, as a result of the incident, earned the title of December’s “Most Unusual Claim of the Month” by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI).

“We let him off the leash to go see our neighbor who was on her second-story enclosed deck,” explained Paige. “Henry ran excitedly up the staircase, but when he got to the second story, he ran past our neighbor and jumped over the enclosed balcony.”

After jumping over the balcony wall and falling approximately 20 feet, Henry landed on a car parked below the deck, denting the roof of the vehicle. Paige immediately took Henry to the veterinarian, where he was examined and underwent X-rays. Amazingly, other than some swelling and tenderness in his knee and a broken nail, Henry was injury-free from the incident.

“Labradors are a very athletic breed, and many are very energetic when they’re young,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “It seems Henry’s enthusiasm got the better of him. We’re all grateful he was not injured more severely. When on balconies, decks, or any elevated surface, it’s important for pet owners to keep a watchful eye on their pets to prevent incidents like Henry’s from occurring.”

Henry is the fourth dog that Paige has insured with VPI Pet Insurance. In addition to the injuries suffered from the recent fall, Henry has had his share of other ailments, ranging from skin allergies to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. Paige is thankful that VPI has helped to defray some of the costs of his treatment.

“I will always purchase insurance for my pets,” said Paige. “One of my dogs had to receive radiation when he had cancer. Fortunately, we had VPI to help cover some of the treatment costs, or that never would have been an option.”