Eve

Many accounts describe heroic dogs saving human lives. They regularly defend owners from fire, floods, attacks from both humans and animals, and so many other circumstances. Their commitment, loyalty, courage, and calm acceptance of the consequences of their actions are incredible.

But what happens when our most loyal and devoted best friend is unable to differentiate between friend and foe, and they are so devoted that they will prevent a policeman or a doctor from rendering assistance?

A breed apart

The Rottweiler comes with something of a reputation. It is a powerful dog; a male can weigh up to 132 lbs (60 kilos). It is considered immensely loyal and an excellent guard dog, with a history that goes back to Roman times. This fanatical loyalty, combined with a natural guarding instinct and built-in courage, can save an owner’s life but can also come at a price, as the dog may even try to protect its owner from rescuers, including police officers and medical staff. Today we recount the story of Eve, the 104-pound (47 kilos) “Rottie”, who saved her owner’s life but then decided that the policeman who attended the scene was a threat to her mistress.

Now, before we go any further, we need to debunk one of the myths about Rottweilers. Their jaw isn’t unique, and they don’t have a “lockjaw” mechanism. They do, however, have a very powerful grip and can exert pressure between 330 and 350 psi. This compares to a human bite that is measured at around 162 psi. They can also control that pressure when necessary, and while they can do enormous damage when provoked, they can also carry a soft toy without leaving a mark. For those who wonder which breed has the most powerful bite, it is the Cane Corso, with a grip that is around 700 psi, and believe me, you don’t want to be on the receiving end of one of those.

Too close for comfort

Kathie Vaughn, a 41-year-old antique dealer in 1991, had just acquired a van she was driving when it started to become difficult to manoeuvre, and to her horror, it began to fill with smoke. This would have been terrifying for most of us, but for Kathie it was much worse. She had paraplegia, paralysed from the waist down and getting out of a vehicle was time-consuming at best, but with the advent of fire, this was a recipe for disaster. At first,  Kathie attempted to resemble her wheelchair, but she started to become disoriented as smoke filled the vehicle. Fortunately, Eve managed to exit, but instead of running away, she reached in, grabbed Kathie, and pulled her out of the van. Now, for most dogs, that would have been enough, but not for Eve, who continued to drag Kathie further away from the burning van. Having dragged her mistress to a nearby ditch, she finally relaxed despite having burned pads. The unanswered question is, of course. Did Eve have the ability to sense that the vehicle would explode? That question is one of many that can only be answered when we can communicate properly, instead of making assumptions. That day will almost certainly arrive; sadly for me, probably not in my lifetime, but for younger generations, it will.

Shortly after, fire consumed the vehicle and its antique contents.

A passing trucker reported the fire, and this elicited the arrival of Trooper Mike Snider of the Indiana State Police, who was unable to extinguish the fire. This is where our heroic rescuer, who had saved her owner’s life, decided that Trooper Mike was also a threat. Eve was so protective that she wouldn’t even let the officer help get Kathie into his police car.

Friend or foe

This is where we need to evaluate how protective we allow our pets to be and what the consequences can be. In many countries, the police forces have experienced dog handlers who are capable of handling the most aggressive dogs; however, in countries that don’t have officers with this level of expertise, the result will be that police will have no other option but to shoot the dog to enable medical attention to be administered.

Whilst I’m not saying the solution is easy, becoming overzealous about our pets’ protective instincts can be productive.