Dog saves family from snake then dies :(

Joined
Oct 25, 2006
Messages
480
Likes
0
Points
0
#1
http://cagayandeorojournal.blogspot.com/

Friday, February 16, 2007
Dog saves family from cobra, is killed
By HERBIE GOMEZ

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (Feb 16) – A pit bull terrier proved beyond doubt that a dog can become a man’s best friend when it saved and gave its life for its master’s wife and her grandmother in Barangay Lapasan here.

The dog named “Chief,” saved 87-year-old Liberata la Victoria and her granddaughter Maria Victoria Fronteras from a cobra that snaked through an opening in the family’s kitchen shortly around 8 a.m. Monday.

On two occasions, the snake was about to attack the women when the dog dashed from a corner and used itself as a shield.

Marlone Fronteras, an employee of Nestle Philippines who owned the terrier, said Chief seized the venomous snake in the neck with its teeth and repeatedly slammed it on the floor until it died.

The dog was bitten too by the cobra; it died a few minutes later after giving its master a farewell gaze, according to the dog owner’s friends Mare Sabelita and Derf Ian dela Rama.

An organization of pit bull terrier owners here, Royale Pit Bull Club-Ancient Fraternal Order of the Pit Bulls Inc., honored Chief and gave it the moniker “grandfather” of all pit bulls in the community.

Marlone told the Malaya, that he, his family and members of the pit bull owners’ group gave the dog a “hero’s burial” the same day.

“We just waited for the children to arrive from school because they loved Chief so much,” said Marlone.

Sabelita said Fronteras’s wife Maria Victoria was teary eyed when she narrated the dog’s “heroism” to friends.

“The snake was in front of us., maneuvering a deadly attack,” Sabelita quoted Maria Victoria as saying. “I screamed out loud to ask for help.”

Hearing this, the four-year old pit bull terrier dashed from its sleeping area to fight off the deadly snake, said Sabelita quoting Maria Victoria.

The cobra fought back and bit Chief at the lower left portion of the jaw. The dog then repeatedly slammed the cobra after it succeeded in immobilizing the snake with its sharp teeth, she said.

Dela Rama said la Victoria was watching television when she panicked and alerted her granddaughter. The old lady said the cobra was about to attack her and the dog came to her rescue.

Maria Victoria said she saw the cobra expand its neck as soon as she turned the lights on. She said the cobra looked like it was spitting as its inched closer, about a meter away, toward her.

De la Rama said the terrier, “out of nowhere,” jumped on the cobra , bit it the neck, and then shook it till it died.

Moments later, the dog slouched flat and fainted, spreading its arms and feet on the floor, after killing the killer snake.

De la Rama said the dog went wobbly and lost control of its organs some 30 minutes after being bitten by the cobra; it started to urinate and defecate uncontrollably as it grasped for air and panted heavily.

The Fronterases sought the help of veterinarian but they were reportedly told that it was too late because the snake bite was near the dog’s brain and the venom had already spread.

Sabilita said Marlone rushed home when his wife called him up to tell him of what had happened and the dog’s master was stunned.

The Fronteras children, who treated Chief like a member of the family and who called the dog “Kuya Chief,” were deeply affected, according to Sabelita.

The last thing Chief did was waggle its tail and gaze at Marlone who had just come from work, said Sabelita.

“Chief gave his two deep breaths and died. (It) was fighting and saving (its) last ounces of breath to see a glimpse of (its) master for the last two seconds of (its) life,” added dela Rama.

Sabelita said he hoped people would change how they look at pit bull terriers, a breed strongly discouraged in many countries and banned because of their “cruel looks.”

We never get the change to know them more,” said Sabelita.



Chris Clendenin

Noah's Landing
Animal Rescue and Support Services
*********************************************************

Wish there was a happier ending...
 
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Messages
4,155
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Colorado
#2
I am so afraid of Buckshot tangling with rattlers out here. I cant imagine anything much worse than watching your dog succumb to venom.
 

Amstaffer

Active Member
Joined
May 13, 2005
Messages
3,276
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Milwaukee WI
#3
A great story about the nobility of dogs (especially pitties) but a very sad one for the dog and family.

Thats why when the wife says lets move south when we retire...I say no thanks.
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2006
Messages
2,365
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
High Ridge, MO
#7
I've got an APBT and a snake. :) Loki would gladly volunteer for the job of taking out Riff Raff, but I've declined her applicaiton. Thankfully, I haven't seen any venomous snakes, though I know they exist in this part of the country. They seem to be content to hang out where we don't, so its cool by me.

The original post I saw on this had pics of the deceased dog with the snake. Very sad.
 
Joined
Apr 25, 2006
Messages
2,947
Likes
0
Points
36
#8
Typical media -

Whenever a so-called "bad" breed does something heroic, it's merely labled DOG in the headline. But had that dog bitten someone, you bet they would have named the breed. (At least the media here would have.)

Poor pup, but what a wonderful hero he was.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2006
Messages
2,765
Likes
0
Points
0
#9
I wonder if they were pestering the snake?? Cause I have learned that snakes don't do anything, unless they feel threatend.. well, that dog, died a hero. I don't want to know what its like, seeing your dog, die for you. It would be too sad.
 

DryCreek

New Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2006
Messages
428
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
The Great White North
#10
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/feb/24/yehey/top_stories/20070224top6.html

Pit bull dies saving 2 women from cobra

By Herbie Gomez

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: The crowd at Divisoria Plaza here was celebrating a hero but this was no warrior, no peace worker or anticorruption advocate.

“Chief” died on February 12, saving two women from a cobra attack. He was a pit bull terrier.

Chief saved 87-year-old Liberata la Victoria and her granddaughter Maria Victoria Fronteras, the wife of his master, from a cobra that snaked through an opening in the family’s kitchen shortly after 2 p.m.

The snake struck twice at the women. Twice, the dog dashed from a corner and shielded them.

Marlone Fronteras, the terrier’s owner, said Chief seized the venomous snake in the neck with its teeth and repeatedly slammed it on the floor until it died.

But the cobra managed to bite the dog’s jaw. Chief died a few minutes following their battle, after giving its master a farewell gaze.

The Fronterases and members of the pit bull owners’ group gave the dog a “hero’s burial” the same day it died.

“We just waited for the children to arrive from school because they loved Chief so much,” said Fronteras, adding that his children even called the dog “kuya” (older brother).

Fatal wound

Maria Victoria shed tears as she narrated the dog’s heroism.

“The snake was in front of us, maneuvering a deadly attack,” said Mrs. Fronteras. “I screamed out loud to ask for help.”

Hearing this, the four-year-old pit bull terrier dashed from its sleeping area to fight off the deadly snake, she said.

Maria Fronteras said she saw the cobra expand its neck as soon as she turned the lights on.

She said the cobra looked like it was spitting as it inched closer, about a meter away, toward her.

From out of nowhere, she said Chief jumped on the cobra, bit it in the neck, and then shook and slammed it till it died.

Moments later, the dog slouched flat and fainted, spreading its arms and feet on the floor.

“Chief looked tired,” said Maria Victoria Fronteras.

The dog lost control of its organs some 30 minutes; it started to urinate and defecate uncontrollably inside the house as it gasped for air and panted heavily.

A veterinarian told the Fronterases nothing could have saved Chief. The snakebite was near the dog’s brain and the venom spread rapidly.

Maria Victoria immediately called Marlone who rushed home, stunned by the news.

He said the last thing Chief did was wag its tail while gazing at him.

“Chief gave his two deep breaths and died. It was saving its energy to get a glimpse of his master for the last two seconds of its life,” said Ian de la Rama, a friend of the Fronterases.

Balloons

The local chapter of the Royale Pit Bull Club-Ancient Fraternal Order of the Pit Bulls gave Chief a colorful farewell. Members of their club and their children released balloons and lit candles at the crowded Divisoria Plaza in the heart of this city.

The group also used the event to correct a misperception about pit bulls.

“They are not natural-born killers; they are gentle and very loyal to their masters,” said rally organizer, Eugene Tan.

In other countries, pit bull terriers were once bred for bull-baiting—a “game” where dogs attacked bulls in pits—and subsequently, dog-fighting.

In the United Kingdom, for instance, the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 regulates the breeding and sale or exchange of pit bull terriers and three other kinds of dog—Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentinos and the Fila Brasileiros. The regulation covers crossbreeds of those dogs.

There is no such law here. Nonetheless, pit bull terriers in the country suffer from bad publicity, the rally organizers admitted.

Champ

Chief, they hope, can salvage from beyond the grave his fellow pit bull’s image.

Tan said what the dog did was consistent with the nature of pit bull terriers. “They can be territorial, and they are very protective of their masters.”

Tan’s group officially declared Chief the “grandfather” of pit bull terriers in the city. The dog, he explained, was popular among dog breeders here that up to 60 percent of Cagayan de Oro’s estimated 500 pit bull terrier population owe their existence to Chief.

“Chief was very popular [among dog lovers]. Many loved and sought it for breeding because of its size, and because the dog was tame and loveable,” said Tan.

He said Chief even won a weight-lifting competition for dogs.

“To us, Chief was the Manny Pacquiao of pit bull terriers in the city. He was the champ.”
 

Aussie Red

Rebel With Cause
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
1,194
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
HER OWN PLANET
#11
Ah that is a great story and yet so sad. I too worry about rattlers here. We have 5 types and two of them are an instant death. The others are less likely to kill.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top