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Heroic Hound Takes Bullet In The Head Saving Owner During Robbery
By
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 4, 2012
Modified Apr 4, 2012
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via Post
By
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 4, 2012
Modified Apr 4, 2012
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Yesterday, cops were called to contain one wild and crazy cat—and today we have a story from the exact opposite end of the spectrum: a heroic pit bull took a bullet in the head for his owner during an attempted home invasion robbery. And he somehow survived! “This is like, one in a million,” Dr. Greg Panarello, whose veterinary clinic operated on Kilo, told the Post. “He’s very lucky.”
The incident occurred around 5 p.m. Saturday when a would-be robber posing as a FedEx deliveryman tried to push his way into Justin Becker's apartment in Graniteville on Staten Island. Becker was able to throw the attacker to the ground, and the assailant was trapped halfway inside the apartment when Kilo came at him: “My dog stuck his head out the door, and then [the thug] shot him in the head,” Becker said. The robber ran for it while Kilo, a 12-year-old pit bull, lay bleeding.
Becker’s girlfriend, Nicole Percoco, was convinced Kilo was going to die: “Hold him in your arms. Let him die in your arms,” she told him. Thankfully, Becker rished him to South Shore Animal Hospital—and it turned out the bullet had ricocheted off of Kilo's skull, and exited through his neck. And doctors don't think he even suffered any injuries to the brain!
Kilo is now recovering at home with painkillers and antibiotics. The vet bill was over $2,200, but it was worth every penny: “I was in shock. It saved my dog’s life, though,” Becker said.
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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