It was October 2007, and seventeen-month-old Charlotte Svillcic was playing in the family garden. The family dog, Khan, a Doberman Pinscher, had only been in the home for four days but had taken to the family after being rescued from starvation and abuse.
Despite knowing Khan’s troubled past, Catherine Svillicic, Charlotte’s mother, continued with the adoption and gave him a loving home. She told Adelaide Now, “When Kerry Kinder (Doberinling Boarding Kennels owner) rescued him, he was starving, had broken ribs, and had been beaten – he was an abused dog. It was borderline on whether or not he should be put down because he was in such a bad way.”
Some might have doubts bringing a Doberman with this kind of history and introducing it to a young toddler like Charlotte. Needless to say, this turned out to be the right decision after all.
One day, Khan and Charlotte were both in the family garden. Khan kept an eye on Charlotte while she was playing outside. Suddenly, Catherine noticed something strange about Khan’s behavior.
“Khan was really concentrating and was acting aggressive towards Charlotte and kept trying to nudge her but it wasn’t working, so he grabbed her by the back of her nappy and threw her more than a meter (3 feet),” Catherine Svilicic told Adelaide Now.
After tossing the girl aside, Khan let out a scream.
He’d been bitten by a King Brown Snake.
The venomous snake is poisonous, and Khan collapsed in the home after being bitten. The dog had saved the little girl’s life.
“If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it,” Svilicic said.
Khan received an injection of anti-venom and eventually recovered from his bite. A local snake expert told Adelaide Now that Khan probably survived the bite only because the snake wasn’t able to inject a large amount of venom.
The Doberman is an intelligent dog that wants to please its owner. This breed of dog is loyal, almost to a fault, and very protective of their family members.
Has your furry friend ever played hero? Share your thoughts in the comments below.