Terrier Dies Protecting Kids from Pit Bulls
 

Updated:2007-05-02 11:40:41
Terrier Dies Protecting Kids From Pit Bulls
AP

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (May 2) - 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.

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles...90001?cid=2359

Oh that makes me cry. I just want to give George a big hug and a bone and tell him thank you for being so loyal.

OMG! That is so sad! :( :( :(

wow...what a great dog that george was....that is sooo sad!!!!

This was so sad. We've got a huge problem with Pit Bulls here in New Zealand. Some owners even give their pit bulls methamphetamine to make them more aggressive! It's sickening!

George was given two post-humous medals for valour. One is usually reserved for humans and one is a purple heart. Here's a link to the article:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/423466/1107891

The week before a woman had been killed by two dogs (pit bull crosses) in a small town here as well. They keep strengthening the laws to try to stop this but the people who let their dogs do things like this don't even register their dogs so responsible dog owners (like me) keep paying for them. Don't get me started!

He deserved the medals. Human or not, what he did was pure heroic.

One of the reasons I love terriers is because they are little dogs with such big hearts. The memory of george should be honored, and his owner commended.
-O

God Bless you George.

aww, that is so sad....what a sweet heart he was.

god bless you george,,, i love you!!!!!!!!!!! rest in peace hero

OH my I am sitting here crying. Poor George! What a wonderful little guy you were. God Bless

What a sad story, and a great dog! You Go George!

Dogs are so smart. It's a bittersweet story. It's really sad that George died, but at the same time, if it hadn't been for him, it would have been those poor kid's lives at stake. The fact that he had the guts to stand up to not only one, but two, vicious pit bulls is heroic and he will be remembered.

That poor baby, what a brave soul he was. This reminded me of my Cocker Spaniel Chelsea. We adopted a Golden Retriever from our local shelter and he was fine the first day but the next day he lunged at me and she jumped between us to stop him from biting me. It was terrifying, she was my little protector, neither of us was hurt but we had to take the G.R. back to the shelter (my children were small, to much of a risk). We found out that he was aggressive and the people who turned him in did not tell anyone because they were afraid he would not get adopted.:(