When just looking at the facts, this story sounds like it will end tragically. A mistreated Doberman was recently adopted into a family. Four days later he is seen hurling the family’s 18-month-old child by the diapers through the air. Horrible things can happen in a seconds time. In this story, though there is much more than at first meets the eye.
Catherine Svilicic was watching her 17-month-old daughter Charlotte play alongside their newly adopted Doberman Khan when all of a sudden Khan appeared to snap and become aggressive, using his mouth to pick up Charlotte by her diaper and fling her across the yard.
Running in terror Catherine ran to pick up Charlotte. She then realized the reason for Khan’s behavior. A large brown snake lay in the yard. Khan had just saved Charlotte from being bitten by a king brown snake, one of Australia’s most poisonous of serpents.
Catherine recalls that horrifying moment, “Khan was really concentrating and was acting aggressive towards Charlotte and kept trying to nudge her but it wasn’t working, so he grabbed her by the back of the nappy and threw her more than a meter. Charlotte looked pretty shocked and then Khan screamed.”
Catherine continues, “I realized quickly it was a snake and Khan had been trying to get in between her and the snake before he threw her.”
In the process of saving Charlotte from the poisonous venom, Khan had taken the blow. He was bitten on the paw, and after chasing off the snake, he ran inside and collapsed.
Khan was taken to the vet and thankfully, the anti-venom that they gave him worked. Khan’s story has now circulated around the world. A Doberman who was starved and abused, being rescued with broken ribs and almost put out of his misery has carried no malice towards the often cruel human race.
Catherine plans on ensuring that Khan will live out his days in heroic fashion. “If Khan wants a gold bowl, Khan gets it. We owe him for the rest of his life” she said.
