A female dog or a male dog is the most loyal friend a person can have in their life and probably on this planet. They are always there for you and protect you in any situation, even if that means risking their own lives.
A heroic dog recently proved this again in an impressive way. He saved his beloved master from a rattlesnake, even though that meant getting bitten himself.
Alex Loredo, an 18-year-old boy from Harbison Canyon, California, USA is the master of a Labrador named Marley. At first, the dog was supposed to help him lose weight due to health problems, but it quickly became clear that two friends for life had found each other there.
A few days ago, the teenager could be all the happier about having Marley because he got into a lot of danger.
He told KGTV that he heard a “loud rattle” when he was out walking. And suddenly he came face to face with a half-metre long rattlesnake.
Alex said he “ticked off” and was terrified of a dangerous bite from the snake. Until Marley showed up to protect him.
“Before I could even do anything, Marley came running up and stood between us,” Alex recalled. “Marley just pushed me out of the danger zone and then barked at the snake a few times.”
For Marley, however, this courage also meant that he would be putting himself in danger, and so it came to pass: the snake bit twice, in the tongue and in the neck. Alex did not hesitate for a second and took his beloved Marley away from the snake to save his life.
“There was blood everywhere and Marley collapsed on the spot screaming in pain,” Alex wrote. “I panicked and took him to the nearest vet which was about three kilometres away.”
“I was so scared and tried to stay calm but at the same time had to make a quick decision because time was not on our side.”
From the vet, Marley then had to be taken to a veterinary hospital, which was about 20 kilometres away. There he was immediately given two injections for the snake venom. He had to stay there for days and the vets were worried that they would have to amputate his tongue.
Fortunately, Marley survived the attack. He was also able to be released and return to his beloved master.
“If it wasn’t for Marley, I probably would have been bitten and that could have ended badly,” Alex said. “Marley is a hero. He’s my best friend. I don’t know what I would do without him.”
Marley’s surgeries and overall treatment cost a lot of money, but Alex was glad his best friend’s life was saved. Thanks to the fundraising site GoFundMe, which raised $8,000, all costs were covered.
Marley really is a true hero.