Haus, a German Shephard, was playfully running from one end of the porch to another. DeLuca family was having a slow day right by their pool, basking in the shimmery glow of the sun. Nearby, their seven-year-old daughter was playing with her dolls. It was very calm - almost serene. Of course, no one could have imagined the incident that was about to take place.
Everything started going haywire when everyone realized that Haus was acting weird. Staring right at their daughter, Haus suddenly started groaning as if he was about to attack. Before the parents could do anything, they saw Haus plunging right for their daughter. When they realized what was happening, they stood up and started running towards their girl. However, it was now too late to do anything...
Two Kids and Two Dogs
Adam DeLuca and Jane DeLucca had been married for more than ten years and had two kids. In the middle of all the humans, it was, their dogs who always stole the show!
Adam and Jane always had wanted to adopt dogs. It has been a dream to raise kids in the company of animals. And that's what they did, not knowing what this decision would lead to one day.
The Adopted Dogs
No wonder when the couple adopted and brought home two dogs, the kids were over the moon! It was no less than a dream come true.
Out of the two adopted dogs, one was a golden retriever, and the second a German shepherd mix. The retriever was named Chloe whereas the German Shepherd mix was named Bailey. It was all flowers and roses, until that fateful day when everything suddenly changed.
They Had a Blast
There was never a dull moment in the DeLuca household. The young kids, one boy, and a girl were always up to some mischief, and if not them then Chloe and Bailey.
Adam spent all his time at home running behind the kids and the dog making sure they are not creating more problems. It was a tiring task; nonetheless, both Adam and Jane enjoyed it very much! It was all this love and care that culminated into Bailey doing the unthinkable, to serve her parents ...
Tragedy Strikes
Bailey and Chloe were very close to each other. When the kids were off to school, both the dogs would spend their time sleeping, eating, and playing together.
Everything was going well until one day Bailey suddenly died. The family did not get time to react as it was very quick, the doctors later confirmed it was a sudden heart attack. Naturally, everyone in the home was shattered. It was as if happiness was snatched away from the house ...
Chloe Took a Hit
Bailey’s death shook everybody, but it affected Chloe the most. She could not cope with the reality of Bailey not sleeping next to her, eating with her, or playing with the kids along with her.
Each family member found it difficult to cope but Chloe went into depression. She stopped eating and playing around with the kids which greatly worried the DeLuca’s.
The Family Gets a New Dog
Bailey was irreplaceable but DeLuca decided to adopt one more dog to help Chloe cope. Even the kids were used to having two dogs around. Around 2-3 months after Bailey’s death the family went to the dog shelter and adopted one more dog, a German Shepherd again.
He was named Haus and he got acclimated to the family immediately. He helped Chloe out of her depression and also made the kids extremely happy.
Neighborhood Favorite
Haus’s energy and charisma did not only keep the family occupied but the neighbors as well. His happy-go-lucky and cheerful personality made everybody fall in love with him instantly.
Each evening he went out on a walk with the kids, and he greeted each neighbor with his wagging tail. Even those who were afraid of dogs couldn’t resist Haus’s charm.
One Fateful Day
One day, like usual, Haus was playing with seven-year-old Molly in the backyard. Molly was busy picking up toys and Haus was just standing near her.
Molly’s grandmother was standing in the doorway and was watching over Molly and Haus. Suddenly she saw Haus jumping forward and snapping back multiple times, she could not understand what was happening.
She Goes Closer to Haus
She got intrigued by Haus’s unusual behavior and decided to check it out. She walked down the stairs and moved towards Haus and Molly to see what was happening.
What Molly’s grandmother saw, shook her. She saw that Haus was standing between Molly and a snake, protecting her with blood gushing out of his legs.
Grandmother Calls The Family
After biting Haus, the snake slithered back where it came from leaving Haus in a bad condition. The grandmother reacted quickly and decided to take Haus to the nearby veterinarian emergency.
She called Adam, informed him about Haus and asked him to meet them at the emergency. On the call, Adam could hear his mother very tense and Molly crying hysterically in the background.
Haus’s Condition Worsens
By the time the grandmother managed to take Haus to the emergency, his condition worsened. She could see that he was drooling excessively and found it very difficult to pick his head up.
He was also taking long deep breaths, clearly having trouble breathing. The moment the doctors saw him, they confirmed he had been bitten by a snake. However, the doctors were surprised when they shaved his fur to inspect the bite properly.
Haus Was Not Just Bit Once
When Haus’s fur was shaved, the doctors found out that Haus was not just bitten once but three times on his right front leg. They were very surprised because usually, a typical instinct on being bitten is to get back and flee from the place.
But Haus did not flee and got bitten by the snake three times to save Molly. If Haus would not have been there, Molly’s life would have been in extreme danger.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
The snake which bit Haus was an eastern diamondback rattlesnake. They are considered to be the most venomous snake species in entire North America.
If a diamondback rattlesnake’s bite goes unattended for more than thirty minutes, it can take somebody’s life. DeLuca’s Family's 2-month-old rescue dog Haus risked his life to stand between an extremely venomous snake and Molly.
Vials of Antivenom
The rattlesnake bit Haus three times, to combat the snake bite he received nine vials of antivenom. He also lost a lot of blood by the time he reached the emergency department.
Along with a continuous drip of antivenom, Haus also needed a blood transfusion. Fortunately, his internal organs were doing fine but took antivenom time to work properly and bring back Haus to a better condition.
Molly was Inconsolable
The DeLuca family had lived in their Tampa home for more than ten years and it was the first time a tragedy like this had happened. They did see some snaked occasionally but never in such vicinity.
They believe it was because of the road construction work which was happening nearby that the snakes were disturbed and venturing out of their territory. Once Molly grasped the whole situation, she was very worried about Haus and cried inconsolably.
Fixing Fence
The tragedy shook the DeLuca family and they decided to fix the fence permanently to avoid this in the future. The kids and dogs always played around in the backyard and sometimes even lounged there during the afternoon. It was better to fix the fence now than challenge their luck.
They got new fencing done with no space underneath for snakes and other reptiles to slip inside. They also warned their kids to make it a habit to not play near the fence but in the middle of the backyard instead.
Haus’s Kidneys
Although Haus was doing fine, a week later Haus’s kidneys started deteriorating. The venom damaged his kidneys and he had to be taken on dialysis for a few days to give his kidneys time to heal.
He had to give some more antivenom vials to let the poison leave his system. His kidneys found it difficult to cope and hence weakened.
Slow Recovery
Haus underwent a long treatment at the Veterinary emergency clinic. The recovery and hospitalization was slow and painful. The kids visited Haus Every day in the clinic to support him and let him know all of them were there for him.
Chloe was missing Haus terribly at home, hence, one day the DeLuca family took Chloe also to the clinic. Chloe got very excited seeing Haus after 3 weeks and wanted to run to him and jump on him, the family had a tough time making her stay away from Haus.
The Expenses
Soon with proper medication and care, Haus was expecting a full recovery and the hospital discharged him. However, the DeLuca family was facing a very expensive veterinary emergency clinic bill.
Each vial of antivenom cost $618 and each day in the intensive care unit cost $1500. Initially, the family was very stressed over how they will afford the bill but soon they found a solution.
Fundraising for Haus’s Treatment
DeLuca’s family and friends suggested that they start raising funds for Haus’s treatment. They set up a GoFundMe account and started spreading the word around. Along with sharing the link, the family also shared videos and photos of Haus in the hospital.
Everybody who came across these photos was greatly touched and impressed by Haus’s bravery. Within a few days after the family started the fundraising process, they raised $32,000 and had to stop asking people to donate after this.
The Excess Funds
DeLuca's family managed to raise more funds than they needed, hence, they decided to put the remaining funds to good use. The excess funds were donated to local German shepherd rescue groups.
Along with the rescue groups, the family also ran campaigns to spread awareness about dog adoption. They talked about Haus and used him as an example to motivate people to adopt.
Haus’s Homecoming
Haus returned home finally after weeks of being stuck at the veterinary emergency clinic. After his slow recovery, the doctors discharged him, and the family took him home.
The kids and Chloe were extremely happy to have him back home. They organized for him a homecoming party with his favorite treats and toys.
Neighbors Also Welcome Him
It was not just Haus’s family who was happy to have him back but also the neighbors. Once Haus reached home, all the neighbors visited DeLuca's home and started hugging and kissing Haus.
However, the trauma of the unfortunate was still present in Haus’s mind because the moment someone was very close to Molly, he started barking. To calm him down, Molly spent the rest of the evening sitting close to Haus and not going out of sight for even one second.
Everyone Should Adopt
If you are doubtful of your decision about adopting a dog, this is all the convincing you need. A dog can brighten up your life and make you feel safe and secure with its protectiveness.
If you have kids, a dog can take care of your child in your absence and make sure no harm reaches their way. Dogs are truly the best friends’ humans can ever get.