Brave dog takes bullet for its owner in Nelson Mandela Bay robbery

A dog’s bravery is being celebrated after it took a bullet for an expectant widow and her young children during an armed robbery in Kwazakhele.

The five armed robbers first ransacked a nearby home before setting their sights on the woman’s Madikana Street home.

But her Boerboel-crossbreed, Guiter, was not about to let anyone hurt the nine-month pregnant woman or her children.

It charged at the intruders, taking a bullet to its jaw.

The children had been watching TV inside the house while their mother was busy in the backyard.

One of the robbers then allegedly jumped over the wall and walked to the front door to enter the house.

As three-year-old Guiter charged at the intruder, he was shot in the jaw.

The would-be-robbers then fled.

Just six months ago, the woman, who is not being named for safety reasons, lost her husband during a fatal robbery attempt.

She is due to give birth in the next week.

The broader Nelson Mandela Bay community has, meanwhile, rallied to assist with additional care and food for the dog as it is slowly nursed back to health.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the first robbery incident in Kwazakhele occurred just after 8.30pm on Friday last week.

“The complainant was home when five unknown suspects entered the house,” she said.

“The suspects demanded cellphones and instructed [the people in the house] to open their banking apps.

“They then left the house and took two cellphones and a black purse containing bank cards.

“The suspects then went to the house next door but were unable to gain access due to the dog that was barking.

“The suspects fired a shot at the dog and left.”

Janse van Rensburg said both cases were under investigation. 

The Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) was quick to step in and take care of Guiter.

AACL inspector Clayton Campher said he was on standby on Friday night when he received a call from one of his colleagues informing him that a dog had been injured.

“I then called one of the police officers at the scene, who informed me that there had been an attempted robbery,” he said.

“The robbers had attempted to steal from there and apparently ran through the yard where the dog was.

“The dog attacked one of the men, who then retaliated and shot the dog.”

Campher said when he arrived at the scene, the owners escorted him into the house, where he saw the dog lying in a pool of his own blood.

“My natural instinct was that the dog would need to be euthanised,” he said.

“I spoke to the owners, and though they were not happy about it, I explained that unfortunately, as part of the AACL, we did not have a vet available at that time of night.

“Our new vet had just started the day before,” he said.

He said they then contacted a vet at the 9th Avenue Veterinary Clinic who immediately came out with her husband to assist.

“She assessed the dog and determined that surgery was necessary.

“They took X-rays and found the bullet. I assisted them with the dog that night. The dog had a very good temperament.

“After the assessment, the doctor referred the dog to a specialist for reconstructive surgery to its jaw, which was broken.”

Its teeth were also shattered.

“He is currently with us and will be discharged [soon].”

AACL public relations officer Linda-Louise Swain thanked the 9th Avenue Veterinary Clinic for waiving their costs.

The community has since come forward to assist with the additional costs the dog will need in its recovery process.

The Herald