Courtesy of Berkeley Township Police

An animal lover in New Jersey who rescued a pit bull from a drug house got the ultimate "pay it forward" moment when the 1-year-old pup saved her life.

Dona Timoney, of Beachwood, N. J., was walking the dog, Lilly, last Friday through a state park when the woman suffered a "medical event," Berkeley Township Detective Sgt. James Smith told Patch.com.

The quick-thinking dog left her still breathing but unconscious owner on the path while she went to seek help.  The dog took off down a path in the area's Double Trouble State Park and encountered Frank Delarosa who was walking on the same path.

While Delarosa attempted to take Lilly back to his office, the dog had other plans and pulled the man back to the location where her owner, Timoney, had fallen ill, according to Patch.

Delarosa found Timoney, 51, still breathing and called rescuers who soon arrived on the scene and transported her to a nearby medical center.  Timoney was later airlifted to another medical center for treatment, Det. Will Cullen, who responded to the scene, told Patch.

While Timoney's condition is not known, Lilly, whom she rescued from a drug house in North Carolina, is safe in the hands of Timoney's daughter.

"The back of her car was filled with treats and bones," Cullen told Patch of Timoney. "She's obviously an avid animal lover."

Calls placed by ABCNews.com to the Berkeley Township Police Department were not returned.  Attempts to locate Delarosa and Timoney's daughter were  not successful.