A German shepherd died after bravely confronting a tiger to protect its owner in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district. The dog, named Bentho, suffered fatal injuries after facing off against the big cat in the early hours of Saturday near Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
Farmer Shivam Bargaiya, who lives in Bharhut village, was guarding his fields with Bentho when the tiger emerged from the forest at around 4 am. According to Shivam, the tiger was in stalking mode and advancing towards him when Bentho charged at it, barking furiously.
The tiger hesitated momentarily but then attacked, sinking its fangs and claws into the dog. Despite being outweighed by more than 10 times, Bentho fought back fiercely.
The tiger clamped its jaws around the dog’s neck and attempted to drag it towards the forest, but Bentho resisted. Eventually, after a prolonged struggle, the tiger abandoned its attack and retreated into the jungle.
Shivam, who had been frozen in fear and amazement, rushed to his dog’s side. Despite standing on tottering legs, Bentho continued to glare at the tiger until it disappeared. Only then did the dog collapse, panting heavily. Shivam immediately picked up the wounded dog and rushed it to a veterinarian in Umaria town, 25 km away.
Dr Akhilesh Singh, the veterinarian who treated Bentho, said, “I found Shivam at my doorstep around 5 am, cradling a badly injured German shepherd. He pleaded, ‘Save him, he saved my life.’ When I asked how the dog was injured, he said it had fought off a tiger.”
Dr Singh tried to save the animal but its injuries were too severe. “The tiger’s fangs had dug deep into its neck, and its claws had ripped through the dog’s body. I did everything I could, but it did not survive,” he said.
Bentho had been with Shivam for 10 years, ever since it was a pup. The dog accompanied him everywhere, from daily walks to nights spent guarding crops in the fields.
“I owe my life to Bentho. I had heard that German shepherds are loyal, but Bentho gave up its life for me,” said Shivam.
Bharhut village, where Shivam lives, is home to less than 250 households and is located around 500km from Bhopal. The area is known for the discovery of a Buddhist stupa in 1873. Encounters between villagers and tigers from the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve are not uncommon.
Authorities have been alerted about the incident, though no immediate action has been reported.
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