Posted on 04/15/2009 6:28:08 AM PDT by meandog
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The wandering 65-pound Pit Bull mix might have seemed menacing to some passerby, but one woman will always remember him as her "guardian angel."
The dog, which authorities think is lost and not a stray, successfully thwarted a robbery attack on a mother and her 2-year-old son, who were held at knifepoint Monday afternoon.
The Florida woman, who has been identified by authorities simply as "Angela," was leaving a playground with her toddler son in Port Charlotte when a man approached her in the parking lot with a knife and told her not to make any noise or sudden movements.
Angela didn't have to do either to protect herself and her child -- a dog mysteriously ran to the scene and charged the man, who quickly fled.
"I don't think the dog physically attacked the man, but he went at him and was showing signs of aggression, just baring his teeth and growling and barking. It was clear he was trying to defend this woman," Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse.
"I don't know what this man's intentions were, but it is very possible this dog saved her life."
The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it quickly jumped to defend.
"You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid," Jones said. "He was like her guardian angel."
After the alleged thief ran away, Angela quickly placed her son, Jordan, in the car and tried to drive off. Before she could, though, the dog jumped into her backseat, waiting with her for the police and animal control officers to arrive at the scene.
The dog was transported to a local shelter and if his owners don't step forward within five days, Jones said, Angela and her family plan to adopt the savior she named "Angel."
Animal control officers and shelter workers believe Angel is lost, and not a stray, because of his good health, sturdy weight and mild temperament.
"It's funny, that someone's irresponsibility could have saved someone's life," Jones said of Angel's possible owners.
For Angela, it doesn't matter where the dog came from, just that he was there when she needed him most.
"I don't know what his [the thief's] intentions were -- I don't know why he did it, but I'm glad that -- we call him Angel -- I'm glad that Angel showed up because I don't know what would have happened," Angela told NBC2 News.
For a small town with a population of 46,452, animal control officers were kept busy Monday afternoon. Jones says they department also responded to a report about a boa constrictor in a church parking lot.
The snake found its way into a car engine and was able to be removed without being harmed. It took three people to move the massive, seemingly random placed snake.
"It's funny, because we aren't a big place," he said of the Gulf Coast town. "And we can go for four or five months without the media contacting us about a story. It's been a busy week."
Officers from the responding county sheriff's office canvased the area and were unable to locate the suspect described as being in his 20s, tall and dark haired.
Tell us what you think about "Stray Dog Saves Woman, Child Held at Knifepoint" below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204.
Pet Pulse reporter Amy Lieberman and NBC-2.com contributed to this article.
The American Staffordshire Terrier, the Bull Terrier, the American Bulldog, the Dogo Argentine, the Tosa, the (English) Staffordshire Terrier etc., are all large powerful dogs; therefore all are pitbulls?
Der F looks emaciated in that pic.
I was mauled by a chow chow. I now have pit bulls. They are docile, sweet and stable. I had over 70 stitches from the chow chow.
I was also bitten in the face by a dalmatian.
RDO Woof
Well, firstly, a schnauzer has a terrier heritage just like a so-called "pitbull" and terriers by nature have an inclination not to back down. Secondly all terriers, as with other dogs, must be socialized and trained, and most people hating so-called PBTs here don't understand what is meant by those words.
So-called PBTs need constant management; neglect one to languish all day in a small kennel with no exercise, chain one, let it stray unleashed and you'll have a wreck on your hands. Treat it with respect in a loving home around people and other pets the majority of the time he comes to believe that are his possessions (and patiently putting up with the torn couch pillows that he believes are his toys) exercise him thoroughly every day, correct his bad manners when necessary, and you'll have a great dog.
Now, I am not going to tell you that there aren't "redzone" dogs that must be euthanized (just as there are mental misfits among human kind, there ARE indeed mental dog cases), and I'm not going to tell you that the training of a so-called PBT is easy because they are extremely thicknecked and hardheaded. But I am going to tell you that they can be made into great pets and family dogs.
Their statistics are atrocious as compared to other breeds in general, and far out weigh any other breed in dog-pounds across the country.
Why not to live in Florida - Vol 29
By the way mini-schnauzers were lumped into the terrier category because they didn't know what to do with them, but in fact they were descended from standard schnauzers - affenpinchers - poodles, none of which are terriers.
Yeah, I was surprised too. Good girl my Penny, smart-sweet-clean-loyal and quite the hunter.
Good dog!
We had a Standard when I was a lad...very bright determined (but stinky) cuss who would fight anything...gamest dog pound per pound I ever had.
Died of a heart attack while jogging with my dad on mile eight.
Great dog.
Ooops, running late, gotta run, good talking to ya.
Happy Tea Party day to all.
Chet is perusing a litany of bad Pit stories as we type is my guess.
Looks like opposite day has rolled around again
Correct...the mini holds little commonality with other terrier groups but please recall I specified "heritage" rather than say that was actually linked to terriers to identify its association with the dog group notorious with not backing down from a fight when threatened. The Standard and Giant Schnauzer varieties incidentally were bred particularly for a penchant for unstinted guard duty. They will defend any owner or property to the death, if necessary.
Not all of them; My brother in law’s boxer is a spoiled brat who likes to stomp on my kids.
I don’t hold it against him though, since BIL doesn’t really know how to raise such an active dog.
I don't hate PBTs. I hate those that ignore the facts that Rotts and PBs cause about 70% of the dog-related human deaths each year. These type of people cause careless handling of these dogs which directly leads to some of these deaths.
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