Why I Love Dogs

**Unchained** · May 2nd, 2007, 02:20 PM

Just another example

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Tiny terrier saved kids from pit bulls
POSTED: 11:37 a.m. EDT, May 2, 2007
Story Highlights"? Jack Russell terrier was playing with kids when pit bulls attacked
"? Terrier fought off pit bulls until adults could intervene
"? Terrier mauled too badly in fight, had to be put down
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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- A plucky Jack Russell terrier named George saved five children from two marauding pit bulls, but was so severely mauled in the fight that it had to be put down, its owner said Wednesday.

George was playing with the group of children as they returned home from buying sweets at a neighborhood shop in the small North Island town of Manaia last Sunday when the two pit bulls appeared and lunged toward them, Allan Gay said.

"George was brave -- he took them on and he's not even a foot high," Gay told The Associated Press. "He jumped in on them, he tried to keep them off.

"If it wasn't for George, those kids would have copped it."

One of the children, Richard Rosewarne, 11, was quoted in the Taranaki Daily News on Wednesday as saying George fought with the pit bulls to keep them off his 4-year-old brother, Darryl.

"George tried to protect us by barking and rushing at them, but they started to bite him -- one on the head and the other on the back," Rosewarne said. "We ran off crying and some people saw what was happening and rescued George."

But George was so badly mauled that a veterinarian had to put him down, Gay said.

South Taranaki District Council official Graham Young said the two pit bulls had been impounded, and likely would be put down because of the attack.

In New Zealand, owners of dogs judged to be too aggressive can be required to have them neutered and dogs involved in attacks are destroyed.

**aphrodite4ever** · May 2nd, 2007, 03:43 PM

What a brave little dog. My mom has a chihuahua that is like that, he'll go up against anything to protect one of us. Its amazing how much courage something so tiny can have. I just hate that they had to put him down. Its so sad.

**SBG** · May 2nd, 2007, 09:26 PM

Better to put him down than for him to suffer. Brave little dog. I love dogs too. We have a chihuahua, as well, and I think if she sensed sever danger she'd insert herself between it and us. When a dog is treated right, trained right, raised right, and loved it can be the biggest saint and protector anybody could ever have. Aggressive dogs like pit bulls have a bad rep, though, I believe. I think to some extent a lot of instances like this has to do with how the owner raised and trained the dog. How anybody can make a dog be like that is beyond me.

**aphrodite4ever** · May 3rd, 2007, 01:12 AM

Some people just love to see them fight. My moms chihuahua will even get between us if someone in the house is arguing with someone else. Like one day I got mad at my brother and went to hit him and charlie jumped me and tried to bite me. Then later my brother tried to hit me and charlie tried to stop him too. That is a very brave little dog.

**imported_elp6n** · May 3rd, 2007, 08:23 AM

My mom's chihuahua is a defender too... sometimes I think she just [i]wants[i] someone to argue so she can push people around lol. They're such odd little critters!
Our oldest dachshund is a very good guard dog - can't underestimate the little guy. Everything has to be peaceful and in order for him. The others would probably help you carry a tv out of the house....

Very sad (yet understandable) that the JRT had to be put down. There aren't even that many humans that would have done what he did. And it's a shame the aggressive dogs were out loose to do that damage.