George (died 29 April 2007) was a
pet dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
in
Taranaki
Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont.
The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth D ...
, New Zealand, that was credited with sacrificing his life to save local children from a dog attack. George's heroism was internationally recognized, and he received posthumous awards from New Zealand and British animal charities.
Biography
A -tall
Jack Russell Terrier
The Jack Russell Terrier is a small terrier that has its origins in fox hunting in England. It is principally white-bodied and smooth, rough or broken-coated and can be any colour.
Small tan and white terriers that technically belong to ot ...
with "a heart condition", George lived in
Manaia, Taranaki
Manaia is a rural town in South Taranaki District, New Zealand. Ōpunake is 29 km to the northwest, and Hāwera is 13 km to the southeast. Kaponga is 15 km north. State Highway 45 passes through the town. Manaia is named after ...
, New Zealand
with his owner, widower Alan Gay
(born ).
George previously lived with Gay's neighbours, but they offered the dog to Gay when they moved away because "the dog spent so much time at his place."
Defensive action
''
The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' and ''
The New Zealand Herald
''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspaper ...
'' reported that on 29 April 2007, five children in Manaia were walking home when they were attacked by two
pit bull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
s. Nine-year-old (born ) George defended the children, but was severely injured by the melee.
Gay's
veterinarian
A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...
recommended
euthanising George, and while Gay reluctantly agreed with the course of action, he later came to regret the decision.
The pit bulls were also euthanised, and their owner prosecution for owning dangerous and uncontrolled dogs."
Six months later, the ''Stratford Press'' reported that it had been one pit bull versus a 14-year-old (born ) George protecting three children.
In February 2009,
Sky News reported that George had been 14 years old when he faced off two pit bulls to defend five children aged 3–12.
In the aftermath, George was praised and memorialised for his bravery and sacrifice. The
awarded him a
medal
A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
for bravery, the first awarded to a dog in 17 years, and the first non-
police dog to ever receive it; Gay was to receive George's medal at the children's school. Jerrell Hudman, a
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
veteran of the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
, was so impressed by George's actions, he told the ''
Taranaki Herald
The ''Taranaki Herald'' was an afternoon daily newspaper, published in New Plymouth, New Zealand. It began publishing as a four-page tabloid on 4 August 1852. Until it ceased publication in 1989, it was the oldest daily newspaper in the country.
...
'' that he would send Gay one of his three
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...
s.
In spring 2007, a
bronze statue of George was unveiled in Manaia, the work of
New Plymouth's
Fridtjof Hanson.
In 2009, the
People's Dispensary for Sick Animals awarded George the
PDSA Gold Medal
__NOTOC__
The PDSA Gold Medal is an animal bravery award that acknowledges the bravery and devotion to duty of animals. It was created by the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) in 2001, and is now recognised as the animal equivalent o ...
, a decoration Sky News described as "the animal equivalent of the
George Cross"; the medal was hung about the neck of George's statue by
Anand Satyanand
Sir Anand Satyanand, (born 22 July 1944) is a former lawyer, judge and ombudsman who served as the 19th Governor-General of New Zealand from 2006 to 2011.
Satyanand was chair of the Commonwealth Foundation for two 2-year terms, ending in De ...
, then-
Governor-General of New Zealand.
See also
*
List of individual dogs
This is a list of individual famous actual dogs; for famous dogs from fiction, see List of fictional dogs.
Actors
Advertising
* Axelrod, Basset Hound, appeared in commercials and print ads for Flying "A" Service Station advertisements in ...
References
External links
* {{Wikinews-inline, New Zealand dog saves five children; receives international attention
2007 animal deaths
deaths due to dog attacks
individual animals in New Zealand
individual dogs