http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/feb/24/yehey/top_stories/20070224top6.html
Saturday, February 24, 2007
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.”
Saturday, February 24, 2007
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.”
.