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- Trouble, the puppy from Khayelitsha, has been hailed a hero after he fearlessly scared off criminals who tried to break into his family home.
- He was taken to a local animal clinic after one of the attackers injured his front paw.
- Hospital staff says he will make a full recovery in no time.
A four-month-old crossbreed puppy has been hailed a hero by Mdzananda Animal Clinic staff in Khayelitsha after he scared off a group of criminals trying to break into his family home on Tuesday.
According to the clinic's spokesperson, Marcelle du Plessis, Trouble the puppy "risked his life" to protect his human and dog family when he saw his mom growling at criminals before he gave chase.
"His fur mother scared the criminals off by growling and chasing them down the road. Fearlessly, the tiny puppy ran after them, too, barking all the way," said Du Plessis.
Unfortunately, due to him chasing after the criminals, Trouble was attacked by one of the criminals, resulting in him breaking the radius and ulnar of his front left leg.
His family collected him in the street and immediately rushed him to the clinic for treatment.
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Veterinarian nurse Mikaela Warren said there was no blood on the pup when his owner brought him in, but he was in discomfort.
"His radius-ulna was broken but still aligned, which meant we could use a splint bandage to ensure comfort and proper healing. There was no sign of blood or any other injuries to the young puppy," she added.
"Because he is a puppy, their healing rate is very fast, so he will fully recover and use his leg in no time."
Trouble was on pain medication during his hospital stay.
"We had to stop the medication after a week to ensure that he knows his injured leg is sensitive and that he needs to tread carefully. He's been doing well so far, walking on his three legs," said Warren.
Trouble was released into this owner's care at the weekend after spending a few days in his spacious rest cage while adjusting to his paw being wrapped in a bandage.
"The splint bandage will stay on for two to three weeks. After that, he will return to the clinic so that our veterinarians can determine how well his healing process is going before considering the removal of the bandage," added Du Plessis.
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Staff at the animal clinic described Trouble as a "fearless little puppy and a big hero in our community's hearts".
"He is such a sweet lovable boy with a smiling face, always happy to be loved and cuddled. His bravery is something to behold as he wanted to help his mom chase the criminals away," Warren said.
"While he was with us, he was very happy and playful, as can be expected from a young pup. When one walked up to his cage, he would wag his tail, bounce around and bark at you to gain more attention."
The animal clinic said Trouble's owners were over the moon to hear he would be collected and was well on his way to recovery.
"Trouble has shown us that no matter your size, braveness lies in all of us."
