Canine Courage: A Dog’s Selfless Act Protects Owners from Brutal Intruder

Undoubtedly, our furry companions display an unwavering commitment and love towards their owners. A recent incident highlights the immense loyalty of a dog who selflessly sacrificed his life to save his family. The incident took place in Merauke, Indonesia when Achy Wijaya found his beloved dog in a near-death state in their yard. He had heard the dog barking the previous night.

NtdNews reported that Achy was deeply saddened to discover that his canine was intentionally poisoned. Achy shared on his Facebook profile that his furry companion kept barking, deterring the burglars from robbing their house. However, Achy revealed that they found out about the poisoning when they left their home in the morning and discovered their loyal hound’s fate.

Based on the tragic circumstances recounted, the family reported that they were fast asleep when a group of burglars intruded into their home. Their loyal dog began barking frenziedly, but the noise was disregarded as they assumed the canine had spotted their pet cat. To their dismay, the dog’s barks suddenly ceased, and the next day, they found it lying motionless and barely breathing – having vomited and frothed at the mouth, indicating it had been poisoned. “We wanted to take our beloved pet to the vet, but we reside in Papua where the only available veterinarian mainly attends to cattle. Furthermore, it being a Sunday, the clinic was shut,” lamented Achy. The family attempted to revive their furry friend by giving it milk, oil, and coconut milk, but it was too weak and eventually passed away.

As Achy mourned the loss of his beloved dog who sacrificed himself to save his family, he decided to film the dog’s final moments as a tribute to his heroism. He also wanted to use the video as a cautionary tale for other pet owners, urging them to take heed when their dogs bark.

51 DOGS RESCUED FROM THE DOG MEAT TRADE IN VIETNAM

Dr. Katherine Polak, Head of Stray Animal Care Southeast Asia for FOUR PAWS

The dog meat trade is big business in Vietnam and threatens the lives of millions of dogs every year, many of them pets. Every day, pets are violently snatched off the streets, from yards, and even while out on a walk with their owners. These unlucky dogs make a brutal journey to slaughterhouses, markets, and restaurants, where a gruesome death awaits them. But times are changing, and the brutality and illegality of pet theft is no longer being tolerated by Vietnamese authorities.

In a landmark case, police in Thanh Hoa Province received a tip off regarding a gang of dog thieves believed to have stolen thousands of dogs since the beginning of the year. On September 15, 2019 the police successfully carried out the largest ever bust of a dog theft ring in Vietnam, resulting in the seizure of 51 dogs. According to the police, the gang carried stun guns and other sharp weapons, and rode motorbikes through residential areas late at night shooting dogs roaming outside. Police arrested a total of 16 suspected gang members and questioned more than 40 susp​ects. The gang not only brutalized neighborhood dogs, but also caused outrage among local people, particularly pet owners.

Following the interception, Police struggled to properly care for the confiscated dogs given their limited capacity for animal care, so the Asia Canine Protection Alliance (ACPA), of which FOUR PAWS is a member, stepped in to offer assistanceThere were 13 dogs in need of immediate medical care due to severe wounds sustained during capture. Dogs with painful open wounds were anaesthetised, treated, provided pain medication and antibiotics, and housed in a temporary shelter for ongoing treatment.

The Asia Canine Protection Alliance is an international alliance of four animal protection organizations committed to ending the illegal trade of dogs in Vietnam: FOUR PAWS, Animals Asia, Humane Society International, and Change for Animals Foundation. ACPA is working to build collaborative relationships with the governments throughout Southeast Asia where the dog meat trade is prevalent, and has already secured a moratorium on the trade in dogs between Thailand and Vietnam. 

Following the confiscation, the police publicised the bust throughout the province using local media so that stolen dogs could be reunited with their families. 

Over the course of 2 weeks, all 51 dogs were successful reunited with their owners, who were devastated by their pets’ disappearance.

This bust pets a major precedent as dog theft is rarely treated as a criminal offense in Vietnam unless the canines are valued at more than VND2 million ($86).

“These arrests will hopefully go a long way in deterring future dog theft in Thanh Hoa Province, and potentially throughout all of Vietnam. While the dog meat trade is often defended as ‘culture’ or ‘tradition’, the reality is that there are significant health and societal impacts associated with the trade and these are becoming of ever-growing concern within Vietnam and internationally.”

Earlier in the week, the Food Safety Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City urged locals to stop eating dog meat in an effort to improve Vietnam’s national image with tourists. They also warned the local community of the health risks posed by consuming the unregulated meat. This followed a similar call by the Hanoi People’s Committee last year.

In addition to membership in ACPA, FOUR PAWS also runs a ‘Cats Matter Too program‘ in Central Vietnam with local charities PAWS for Compassion and Vietnam Cat Welfare to improve veterinary training, animal welfare education, and provide free spay/neuter services.

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