Dogs are amazing. There is no shortage of stories about them saving the life of people, often running into danger themselves. Their willingness to put themselves at risk for the sake of those they love is just one example of how loyal they are.
Shiloh, the 7-year-old Australian shepherd mix, is certainly one of those dogs.
It was just a normal night and the Holloways were sitting on their porch watching their eighteen-month-old son playing in the yard and enjoying himself. Suddenly, their dog Shiloh leaped up and ran toward the toddler getting between him and a flower bed.
Stunned for an instant, Mr. Holloway said his first thought was that Shiloh was going after his son. The thought that crossed his mind was, “oh my gosh, he’s going after the baby,” because of the way the dog charged toward him.
Mr. Holloway didn’t know it at the time but far from “going after the baby,” Shiloh was protecting the baby from a small copperhead snake hiding in the grass. Then, he saw the dog grab something and jump up in the air, and yelp.
It was then he walked over and realized that a snake had crept through the grass and was at the feet of his son. Certainly, had Shiloh not seen and reacted to the danger, the little boy could have been bit, and being so small, may not have survived.
Shiloh was injured by the snake and had so much throat swelling that his collar had to be removed. His family did take him to the vet where he was treated and later released doing well according to Knox News.
Mrs. Holloway believes that God sent Shiloh to protect her son that day and said:
"After everything had calmed down, the kids came out to check on the dog, and the baby just started running back and forth on the porch and laughing and talking ... and just smiling, and it just hit me like a ton of bricks because the Lord said 'I saved that child.”
Shiloh is such a good, brave dog. He willingly sacrificed himself to save the little boy he loved. The family is so thankful to him and will never forget his sacrifice. We hope you enjoyed this story. As always, please feel free to share with your friends.
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