A rescue dog has been dubbed a true hero after he recently came to the aid of his owners in the face of an armed home intruder.
Pancho, adopted from Española Humane in New Mexico eight years ago, leapt into action to protect his family when a knife-wielding intruder broke into their home in Rio Arriba County earlier this month.
Incredibly, Pancho leapt into action to protect his family from the armed assailant, getting between the intruder and the rest of the house, leading to him being stabbed in the neck.
Despite the severe neck wound that narrowly missed his esophagus and trachea, and enduring multiple kicks that caused a slipped disc in his spine, Pancho still contained the intruder long enough for neighbors to intervene and restrain the attacker until authorities arrived.
After the attack, his family sprung into action to save him from his extensive injuries, applying pressure to his wounds and driving two hours to Albuquerque in search of emergency care. With no success, they returned to Española Humane, the very rescue organization from which they had adopted Pancho.
In a Facebook post on June 6, Española Humane described the scene that greeted their staff: “Our staff arrived to find a desperate family with their dying dog. Pancho had lost a tremendous amount of blood and was very weak, yet still, every time we told him what a good boy he was, he wagged his tail and thumped it on the ground. At one point, as we prepped him for surgery and clamped hemorrhaging veins, Pancho’s heart stopped and he stopped breathing, but love and determination and the incredible skill of our team brought him back.”
Grab your tissues and settle in – we have a hero’s epic tail to tell. On Wednesday morning our staff arrived to find a desperate family with their dying dog. Overnight, an intruder had broken into…
After surgery to clean Pancho’s neck wound, repair damaged tissue and install a drain, Pancho’s family remained by his side, tearfully promising him rib-eyes for the rest of his life.
Just days later, the dog was eating well, standing and walking, and is now on the way to recovery with his loving family by his side.
“Viva Pancho, the hero we all need in our lives,” Española Humane wrote in its Facebook post. “Adopt a dog – they save us every day.”
Newsweek has reached out to Española Humane and the Santa Fe County Sherriff’s office via email for comment.
Facebook Users React
In response to Española Humane’s Facebook post praising Pancho’s bravery, users shared their reactions.
“Sending Pancho huge waves of love and healing light. What an amazing story,” commented Amanda.
“That boy needs a cape. What a Hero,” Robin posted.
Boomer added: “What a brave boy! A million trillion thank yous for being there in his family’s time of need.”
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