The bond between humans and dogs runs deep and has existed for thousands of years. And if you own a dog, you already know your canine friend will do anything to keep you and your family safe. That was certainly the case for Haus, a German shepherd who bravely fought a venomous snake to protect a little girl in Tampa, Florida.
Haus, his family, and vet Jennifer Holm appearing on Good Morning America. Screenshot by ABC News
What Did This Brave German Shepherd Do?
The DeLuca family had only recently welcomed Haus into their home and seven-year-old Molly was spending the day in the backyard with her grandma. Then they noticed the two-year-old dog running in a circle and leaping at something. They couldn’t figure out what in the heck Haus was up to until they saw he was fighting with an enormous eastern diamondback rattlesnake, ABCNews reports.
Haus’s wounds were extensive and serious, but he recovered quickly, Molly’s mom Donya DeLuca told Good Morning America. Screenshot by ABC News
It was a frightening situation for Molly, but the brave German shepherd was doing what he could to keep her safe.
“I was really scared,” the little girl said.
In the fight, poor Haus was bitten three times. He was in pain and bleeding profusely. The DeLuca’s feared the snake’s venom might prove fatal so they rushed him to a local veterinary clinic.
Eastern diamondback rattlesnake. Screenshot by ABC News via YouTube video
A dangerous situation
Vets at the clinic gave the brave German shepherd high doses of antivenom injections and crossed their fingers in hopes that Haus would pull through. But even if he survived, he was facing lifelong complications, WeLoveAnimals reports.
Haus gets a pat on the head. Screenshot by ABC News via YouTube video
As the vet bills mounted, the DeLucas family was forced to start a GoFundMe page. Haus’s story touched the hearts of many kind people. It wasn’t long before the family received double the amount they needed, so they donated the overflow to charity organizations and to the shelter that Haus was adopted from.
Haus the “hero” shepherd dog on the mend
Vets feared the odds weren’t in his favor but with so much excellent care, the sweet dog recovered quickly.
And Donya DeLuca says she firmly believes their sweet boy was doing everything he could to keep Molly safe.
“It’s easy for anyone who’s spent any time with Haus and our children that he absolutely nannies our children and watches out for them,” she said. “It’s common for him to sweep the yard or check everything out when he goes out, and he stood his ground and continued to charge when a large venomous snake was attacking him.”
Haus goes home
And after a little recovery time, he was back in action. He was, however, scared to go out in the backyard at first. But he took that fear in his stride and now he’s back to protecting his family.
You can watch his story in the two videos below.
Featured image by ABC News via YouTube video
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