Her Knight in Furry Armor

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you have heard the many tales of "Rusty Vs Lily"

After months and months of going to the NRH Humane Society to look at dogs, we got Rusty when Lily was 7 months old and since then they've had a very love, hate, love relationship.

When it comes down to it, Lily loves the dog to pieces, and loves pestering him just as much. The past few weeks I've been worried that Rusty is getting sick of it and will eventually grow bored...and out of love with his little lady.

Today, Rusty proved me wrong. He proved to be a part of this family that I will one day be heart broken to ever be without. Today Rusty saved Lily's life, and I got to watch my brave husband save his.

When we were getting our "to do" list together today I saw this dumb kid walking his pit bull mix on a huge chain through our dining room window. I pointed it out to Eamon because we're always talking about how unfortunate pit bulls lives are. Their owners think they're fighting dogs and that they'll look "bad ass" with a thick chain and pad lock around their neck.

[This is making me shake just THINKING about it...it seems like a distant dream now.]

All of our windows are open because the weather is just amazing right now and Lily and Rusty are playing at the window in the living room like they do all day, every day. [They're people watchers] I see the dog come to the window and get Eamon's attention. Lily and Rusty both lean up against the window to get a look at the dog. Rusty's not allowed to growl or bark in the house as to not instigate anything, and he RARELY does. Two sniffs later and we see/hear barking and growling. I get off of the couch to run to Lily and before I even get up the pit bull TEARS THROUGH OUR WINDOW SCREEN and lunges at our kids. Rusty places himself in front of Lily [there are the tears...] and takes the bite of the pit bull. I'm so scared but know I HAVE TO GRAB MY BABY. I scoop her up, trying my hardest to stay cool while Eamon is kicking the dog. I run into the bedroom and close the door, afraid the pit is going to come into the house and attack us too. I then hear yelping and hear Eamon go out the door. I run out a few seconds later realizing I need to call the cops before someone-my dog, or worse my husband- gets killed. The dog had grabbed Rusty by the neck and drug him out to the sidewalk in front of our apartment. I then see Eamon with the dog's chain in his hand beating the pit bull over and over to get him to let go of our dog. He didn't budge. He was thrashing Rusty like a rag doll.

I had a flashback to when I was a little girl and something really scary was happening. My mom was trying her hardest not to be in hysterics, and told us to go inside to avoid seeing something bad happen, that it'd be better to see the aftermath than to watch the act occur. Still clutching Lily I walked back inside-still on the phone with the police and waited to hear Rusty dying and the dog attack Eamon. In prayer mode I went. I then saw Rusty start running away as the pit's owner held him. Eamon ran after Rusty to make sure he wasn't running away to find a place to die [...at least that is what was going through my mind] and I went into mommy mode.

With his dog secured, I let the owner have it. His dog put three out of four of the members in a near death experience and if the dog came in our house...it could have ended very differently. I have never been so mad at a human being in my life-let alone expressed said anger to their face.

A few minutes later...our heroes came around the corner, Eamon with an adrenaline rush and Rusty with a limp. It was like the scene in Armageddon when all of the astronauts make it home safely and are walking out to meet their women that they protected. I was prepared to see the blood on Rusty and was trying not to freak out...he survived with a few puncture wounds on his neck, two cuts on his left front leg and a limp from being thrown in the air. This was not Rusty's first rodeo.

God has protected us in so many ways today, I'm not sure I can count them all. He gave us rusty 9 months ago to be Lily's best friend. He was there today to push Lily out of the way from a pit bull's mouth. He gave me a husband wise and brave enough to know what to do and actually do it, and He protected our dog in a miraculous way.

When the Humane Officer came to get our story and take a look at Rusty she said the pit probably thought of Rusty as a chew toy and that's why he didn't apply "deadly" force. Regardless, our scrappy little dog put his life out there for our baby. He held on and fought for his life for his family...I don't know that I can ever repay him. Who knows, maybe he thinks he's repaying US for rescuing him...

All day he's been right by our side-mine and Lily's that is. I told a friend of mine that I felt like he and Eamon said "These are MY girls, want me to prove it again?" and I know they would.

So even though she tries to poison him with grapes and raisins, and even though he thinks all of her bunny toys are his, and EVEN THOUGH Lily gets pure joy out of telling him "BAD DOG!"...Rusty will always be her knight in furry armor.

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