A pit bull has died after being bitten four times by a deadly snake while trying to protect two children.

Gary Richardson said Zeus attacked a venomous coral snake to save his two sons as they were cleaning the dog’s water bowl outside their family home in Sumter County, Florida.

The father said his children did not see the snake as it slithered towards them, but his eight-month-old dog did. Setting upon it Zeus killed it and potentially saved their lives.

Zeus was then rushed to a vet in nearby Ocala, Florida, where he was given two vials of anti-venom.

However, the pit bull passed away earlier this week.

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“I knew when he first came in that something was wrong and [it] was very traumatic because I knew he was dying,” Mr Richardson told the Fox 35 Orlando news channel. “Pit bulls are the most loyal dog I know of, and I’ve had a lot of different animals in my life.”

The family said Zeus had been their dog since he was born in January. Gina Richardson, Gary's wife described him as “a member of the family”.

“It just killed us," she said, adding that they hoped the anti-venom was going to work.

“If you treat them [pit bulls] right, they would give their life for you and I owe my son’s life to him," she said.

The vet treatment cost the family $1,000 (£814), forcing them to set up a fundraising webpage to ask for donations to cover the expenses.

They quickly reached their fundraising target.

“We have made the goal and one of the weights has been lifted off my shoulders,” Ms Richardson said. “My heart is full knowing the many hearts our beautiful boy touched.”