Heroic Rescue Dog Hurt Defending Family from Intruder Celebrates Recovery with Special Party

Pancho is the ‘Goodest Boy.’

A heroic dog recently celebrated his amazing recovery with a special party after he nearly lost his life protecting his family from a home intruder. Pancho lives in northern New Mexico with his family, who adopted him eight years ago from Espanola Humane Society. But a few weeks ago, Pancho saved his family after a 16-year-old armed with a large knife broke into their home.

Pancho, a Pit Bull heeler mix, jumped to defend his family and fought with the suspect but he was severely beaten and his neck stabbed and slashed before neighbors came and helped the family tackle and pin the intruder down until police arrived.

Pancho’s injuries were life threatening. His jugular vein was cut and he began losing a lot of blood. “The intruder stabbed and ripped into his neck so deeply and tearing it open so wide, it’s a miracle his trachea and esophagus are still intact,” Espanola Humane Society wrote on Facebook. “Still, he fought the intruder off and saved his family … and then it was their turn to save his. As he hemorrhaged, they applied pressure and drove to Albuquerque, frantically trying to find emergency care. When they couldn’t, they drove back north and came to us.”

Despite his injuries, Pancho was such a sweetie. “Pancho had lost a tremendous amount of blood and was very weak, yet still, every time we told him what a good boy he was, he wagged his tail and thumped it on the ground,” Espanola Humane Society shared.

And there wasn’t a second left to spare in getting Pancho emergency care. The humane society said that they almost lost him. “At one point, as we prepped him for surgery and clamped hemorrhaging veins, Pancho’s heart stopped and he stopped breathing, but love and determination and the incredible skill of our team brought him back,” they wrote.

Hours after surgery, their team had successfully sewn Pancho’s neck back together and Pancho woke up in their recovery area “surrounded by techs and vets all rooting for this hero’s survival.” Pancho was saved a second time by Espanalo Humane Society! Shortly after, Pancho reunitee with his family who told him that he deserves to eat rib eyes for the rest of his life.

It didn’t take long for Pancho’s heroism to make the news and Omaha Steaks also got wind of his family’s promise of wanting to give Pancho a special reward and pitched in to celebrate the heroic dog.

Flash forward a few weeks, and on June 20th, not only did Pancho get the stitches and staples removed from his neck wound, he got that rib eye he was promised!

“While our staff dined on a potluck of burgers and brats and ribs, grill master Jeff whipped up juicy ribeyes for Pancho gifted by Omaha Steaks,” the group said. Pancho also enjoyed his own personal peanut butter cake while humans got their version of a treat.

Pancho still has a way to go to fully recover (his back legs are weak because of his injuries) but with his family, the staff at the Espanola Humane Society, and legions of supporters all rooting for him, Pancho is sure to feel the love and support coming his way.