image via: youtube
Animals are incredibly in-tune with nature and are often aware of everything around them. When something seems off or strange they usually notice and pick up on it right away. That’s why many domestic pets, and dogs in particular, often alert us to hidden dangers long before we would’ve perceived them. Just their reaction to a threat is enough to make most people pay attention because when dogs sense danger they bark, growl, become defensive, and act way differently than their usual self. More often than not, when a dog see’s that their human companion is in trouble they don’t hesitate to step in and help out in whatever way they possibly can.
For one Doberman Pinscher, that meant grabbing his new families 17-month old child by the diaper and tossing her several feet through the air. It sounds alarming, and the girl’s mother who was looking on was shocked when she saw that exact scene play out, but once you know why it makes perfect sense.
The incredible series of events all took place in Australia where a little girl named Charlotte Svilicic was outside playing in the yard with the family dog, a beautiful black and brown Doberman named Khan. Catherine Svilicic, the girl’s mother, was watching the two through a window when she noticed the dog was being rather aggressive and acting uncharacteristically rough. Khan began to nudge Charlotte around, gently at first, but then he started to growl and snarl seemingly out of nowhere.
Suddenly, he sunk his teeth firmly into the toddler’s diaper and threw her behind him. She went sailing through the air and landed several feet away. Catherine was understandably angry and shocked by what she’d just seen, but when she went outside to check on her baby and investigate, her shock turned to relief and gratitude.
It turned out that Khan had been protecting Charlotte from a king brown snake that was slithering around nearby under the house. Considered one of the world’s most venomous, the deadly snake was too close for comfort. Khan recognized the threat and acted quickly to move the little girl out of harms way. Catherine recalled, “I realized quickly it was a snake and Khan had been trying to get in between her and the snake before he threw her.” However, with all the commotion going on the snake became startled and bit the dog on his paw.
The snake venom quickly took its toxic effect and Khan became very sick. He made it inside the house before collapsing and Catherine wasted no time rushing him to the emergency vet. After receiving a shot of anti-venom and staying the night in the hospital, Khan made a full recovery and was soon back with his new family.
What makes this story all the more awesome and unexpected is the fact that Khan had been adopted by the Svilicic’s only four days prior to the incident. His previous owner had starved and beaten him to the point where he was suffering from multiple broken ribs when he was found. His rescuers even thought about putting him down because he’d been abused and neglected so badly that they were unsure about whether or not he would ever recover or be re-homed.
Thankfully they didn’t and now he has a family that loves him and will treat him right. Khan’s story just goes to show how selfless and heroic animals can be. Even after experiencing a lifetime of abuse and neglect, he found love and kindness with his new family and was willing to die in order to protect them after just four days. If that’s not a powerful testament to the unbreakable bonds that rescued animals form with their new owners, then I don’t know what could be…
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