ADVERTISEMENT When a mother saw that her dog had taken his frustration out on her 17 month old child, she was naturally terrified by the incident. But on closer inspection, she realized something strange and unique about the hound’s actions. A Strange Morning Catherine Svilicic would never have expected her newly adopted Doberman to act in such as violent manner. She had faith that her child and dog could play together gently. But what would transpire would completely blow her mind. But why?

Unexpected Behavior When Catherine Svilicic adopted her new dog, she never expected him to behave in a negative way towards her baby. She only had a slight concern about the newly adopted Doberman because he was a rescue puppy. As we all know, sometimes rescue dogs have traumatic pasts that can lead to troublesome behaviors. Still, she decided to adopt the new furry friend in the hopes that he would join the family smoothly. She never guessed this would happen instead…

Dangerous Breeds This can also apply to dogs who are considered to be particularly “dangerous.” Of course, most domesticated dogs can playfully chomp on their owner’s hand or jump on them and lick their faces with pure affection. But then there are specific breeds of canines such as Dobermans or Pitbulls who, from past experiences, can be a genuine threat to human’s safety.

Making Additions So the Svillcics as a group decided that they wanted a new addition to the family. It was not so long after Catherine had given birth to her baby Charlotte, and she wanted her new tot to grow up with a companion by their side: a partner in “crime” who the baby could have fond experiences with. When the time came though, they believed that the best port of call would be to get a dog that most people would not want.



The Time Had Come The decision was mainly out of compassion, and the Svillcics felt that both they and the dog would benefit from the adoption. So Catherine got in touch with the closest dog shelter to see if any dogs caught her eye. She ultimately went with one of the Doberman Pinschers, choosing the largest of the group. Upon adopting the hound, she named the dog Khan. She had been informed that Khan had gone through a lot already in his life…

Khan’s New Home But Catherine had no problem bringing Khan home and having him share a home with Charlotte, who was now 17 months old. Catherine knew that the adoption was a risk. Not even the most seasoned of dog owners can guarantee that Doberman will be perfectly well-behaved, especially after suffering from abuse from previous owners. The amazing thing is that Khan was scheduled to be euthanized just a week before Catherine adopted him, he just survived after a twist of fate.

It Was A Normal Day But even though the Svillcics were responsible for saving his life, Khan’s behavior was for the large part out of their control. And on one fateful day, things turned ugly. Only four days after he was adopted, Khan was playing with little Charlotte in the Svillcic’s garden. So far, there was nothing for the family to worry about as far as their new addition was concerned. Naturally, Catherine was concerned as to how the pair would cooperate early on.

Playing Together But Catherine remained adamant that she had made the right decision and let the two carry on playing. Charlotte and Khan spent a long time just running around peacefully, neither making too much noise. But out of the blue came a moment of madness. Khan flipped, took the child and tossed her across the grass. As a result, Charlotte flew a yard away and slammed her back on the ground. A moment went by when everyone stood still, in absolute shock.

Wrath Of Khan But Catherine knew this kind of behavior was possible. Funnily, she would have expected this type of incident to happen as a result of another sibling who should have known better. But Catherine was still disappointed with Khan, who looked angry and fierce after his act of violence. She was perplexed as to what could have triggered Khan to act this way. But in her heart, she knew that Charlotte couldn’t have done anything to provoke the dog.

Silent Witness What made Khan’s motive even more perplexing is that Catherine witnessed the entire incident from the kitchen. And she was experiencing an absolute nightmare and began to see the wheels turning in Khan’s mind. When he saw Charlotte, he saw red. For some bizarre reason, he considered the toddler as a threat. Catherine hoped that after pushing her across the grass, that would be the end of it. But unfortunately, Catherine would need to intervene, as it was just the beginning…

The Horror What followed must have been absolutely terrifying for both Catherine and Charlotte. At first, Khan was softly pushing the toddler around, trying to provoke her and start a fight. But Charlotte was oblivious to the hound’s malice and continued walking around nonchalantly. Then, in a fit of rage, he clamped onto the toddler’s diaper with his teeth and started to viciously toss her around the garden. In Catherine’s words, he treated her “like she was a rag doll.”

Unbelievable Charlotte didn’t cry, but she was certainly distressed after being thrown across the grass by who she thought was her new friend. “Had I not seen it with my very own eyes, I’d never have believed it,” said Catherine. She rushed over to attended to her poor baby girl who was naturally bewildered by what had happened. But all of a sudden, Khan barked frantically and fell to the ground. The entire family was completely confused as to what was going on.

Something Went Wrong Catherine rushed over to the scene to find Charlotte completely unharmed! She checked her daughter to find her fine, healthy, and untouched! However, something was gravely wrong with Khan. Khan fell to the ground completely lifeless. Catherine had no idea what happened but began to panic. Something told Catherine that Khan was actually trying to protect her precious baby. Somehow Khan’s heroic act left him severely injured and Catherine needed to get help immediately. Time was running out.

A Great Sacrifice But despite his heroic efforts, Khan had become severely poisoned by something. Khan had a large wound in his body that needed attention immediately! After only being with the Svillcic’s for just four days, Khan was already on the verge of death, but only after expressing his love for his little friend, Charlotte. There’s a lot to say for Khan’s benevolence, after risking his life to save this little girl’s who he was still getting to know. His life was hanging in the balance…

Paralyzed Khan was bitten by something so dangerous that the bite could cause instant paralysis to even the strongest of animals. Khan was strong, but he succumbed to the poison. Khan was collapsed on the ground and unable to move. He was rapidly losing the ability to breathe. Catherine realized what had happened, and knew that she had to move quickly to save her undisputed hero. She was terrified, but she knew it was her time to save the adopted dog!

Time To Take Action Catherine immediately ordered all of her family to go into the house. She picked up Charlotte and handed the disturbed little girl over to one of her family members. Once her entire family was safe, she attended to Khan to inspect the damage. What she saw was absolutely heartbreaking: there was her dog, with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, laying motionless. Despite already looking dead, Catherine had faith and wouldn’t give up on her boy.

A Race Against Time Without hesitation, Catherine picked up Khan and with sheer adrenaline, carried him over to the car. She hurled the lifeless body into the backseat and turned on the ignition. But despite being hopeful after she could feel his pulse beating, Catherine had no idea how this was going to go. She wasn’t a doctor, so she knew nothing about how long it may take for the poison to fully set in, so she drove as fast as she could to the vet.

On The Road As Catherine sped through streets to get Khan treatment, she looked over at her dog and cried in awe of his sheer bravery. And after he had put his own body on the line for Charlotte, Catherine was now doing the same for him, especially as her emotions were causing her to drive fairly recklessly. It didn’t help that she was in a rush to save him. “I never knew I was able to drive this well. I guess adrenaline does its thing,” she said.

Medical Attention Alas, they were on the home stretch, and she put her foot down on the gas. After an incredibly dangerous drive, as soon as they arrived at their destination, Catherine slammed the breaks. She rushed frantically out of the poorly parked car, tripping all over the place. She put Khan in her arms and ran over to the clinic, screaming for help. Thankfully for Khan, doctors and nurses came from every direction and lay him on a mobile bed.

Unconditional Love Reminiscing on carrying her beloved dog, Catherine said, “if you asked me to carry his weight right now, I don’t think I’d be able to do it.” At one point, the protective instinct must have been so infectious that Catherine took on the mantle after Khan had displayed it so heroically in their garden. Something took over Khan when he saw that Mulga ready to pounce on Charlotte. Something so primitive that has been ingrained in all animals for a long time.

She Owed Him It was in that moment that Catherine felt indebted to this dog who had been so selfless when her daughter was under threat. That was the moment that Khan became family and he was as important to her as any of her children. Despite knowing that Charlotte was safe and sound, she couldn’t rest well until she knew the fate of her dog. As the nurses moved Khan into the emergency, a dreaded sense of hopelessness fell over Catherine.

So How Was Khan? All Catherine wanted now was for Khan to survive this horrific ordeal. And only thirty minutes after he was sent to the emergency room, the doctor who attended to Khan returned to the room to speak with Catherine. What he found would be quite the sight: she was pacing around the waiting room and her body was sweating profusely. She ran up to the doctor, asking many questions and desperate for all the answers. Was Khan going to be OK?

The Doctor’s Answer The truth was that the doctor didn’t have a clear idea yet as to whether Khan would pull through or not. “We don’t know yet, madam. We did what we could, but now his body has to fight the poison,” he said. “The anti-venom will certainly help, but we don’t know to what extent. It’s best that you come back tomorrow morning.” It wasn’t exactly what Catherine wanted to hear, but it could’ve been much worse.

A Sleepless Night So many emotions were running through Catherine’s head that night. As a result, a mind went into overdrive, preventing her from sleeping. She just held on tight to her baby Charlotte, ridden with guilt. She wasn’t there when she needed her the most and then someone else had to pay as a result – possibly with their life. But she felt a great sense of relief and gratitude as well. But still, she lay there, thinking about Khan.

Stepping Into Tomorrow Finally, what felt like one of the longest nights of her life, had finally passed. The morning had arrived and Catherine rose from her bed at 7.30 AM. After receiving little sleep, she attended to her family and took care of some of the morning chores before driving the same route she took the day before. But this time, she drove at less life threatening speed. She wanted to get there as soon as the clinic was open.

The Moment Of Truth Catherine was the first person in the waiting room that day. She had over prepared herself mentally in anticipation for the fateful answer. Did her hero live on to play another day with Charlotte? Or was the dog going to meet his tragic end? Catherine was extremely worried, so she inquired at the office of the vet who attended to Khan to see if they had the results. The time had finally arrived to find out the answer…

What Almost Killed the Baby? Before finding out if Khan would survive, Catherine found out what almost killed her poor baby and her new dog in the first place! Catherine discovered that there was a dangerous animal that what was living in her backyard. She could not believe that something so poisonous was right under her nose. Without Khan, Catherine and her baby could have been in the emergency room instead. The dangerous animal that almost killed Khan could have also paralyzed Catherine and Charlotte.

Look What We Have Here Low and behold, Catherine discovered what almost killed her family. A long brown shape was moving slowly through the grass. The truth became increasingly clear: Khan was not trying to attack Charlotte. On the contrary, he was desperately trying to save her life. It turns out that she was close to a Mulga, an incredibly venomous snake and one of Australia’s most dangerous creatures. Khan saw one of his trusted companions in danger and simply wanted to help.

Predator On The Loose If there’s anything that Australia is renowned for, it’s the abnormally diverse range of deadly creatures. The Mulga is a prime example of just how lethal Australian wildlife can be. Within minutes, the snake can kill a fully grown human being with just one bite. This means that Charlotte wouldn’t have stood a chance had she been in full content with the serpent. The venom would have flowed through her bloodstream so much quicker due to her small size.

Khan The Protecter And in a sheer act of fearlessness, Khan blocked Charlotte from the Mulga’s attack. He essentially shielded her from her certain doom, he just didn’t know his strength when moving her away from the snake. And even though he took a lethal bite as a result, Khan stayed on his guard as he scared the Mulga away. In a life that had already been full of mistreatment and injustice, Khan was compelled to give back to the first family to truly love him.

Will Khan Survive? Even though the brave Doberman was now known as the family hero, it was unclear whether Khan would survive. He had risked his life to save a baby that he hardly knew! When little 17-month-old Charlotte was in danger, Khan picked her up by her diaper and tossed her like a rag doll across the yard to safety. Sadly, as a result, Khan was subjected to one of the most dangerous venoms in the world.

Feeling Helpless At this point, the poor dog was completely helpless. The Svillicic family was completely torn apart and didn’t know whether to prepare for his homecoming or a funeral. Charlotte’s mother, Catherine, knew she could never fully repay Khan for the kindness he showed her daughter. She told Daily Mail, “He saved her life by risking his own.” She continued, “From now on, he’s Khan the Wonder Dog.”

Khan’s Fate As Catherine waited to find out the fate of her beloved animal, she felt completely devastated. She did not know what to do with herself. All she wanted was to take Khan home so he could be part of her family again. She knew the veterinarians were doing their best to revive Khan. They gave him a shot of anti-venom in the hopes that Khan would be able to return to himself again and survive this terrible trauma.

Oh No! Poor Khan had already been through so much in his short life as a rescue dog. Khan’s new family rescued him from the animal shelter and now Khan decided to return the favor and rescue adorable baby Charlotte. The rescued Doberman was only a part of the Svillcic family for four days before risking his young life for little Charlotte! Catherine could not wait any longer to find out her new furry family member’s fate!

Put Him Down? Before Khan called the Svillcic’s his family, he was severely neglected. Catherine told Courier Mail, “When Kerry Kinder (Doberinling Boarding Kennels owner) rescued him, he was starving, had broken ribs and had been beaten – he was an abused dog.” When the family first decided to take Khan in, they weren’t sure how he would do. Catherine continued, “It was borderline on whether or not he should be put down because he was in such a bad way.”

He Only Wanted Love Now it was fully clear to Catherine why Khan had risked his life for her baby girl. Catherine told Courier Mail, “He was starving for attention and wanted to be loved because he came from an abused home, so I’m not surprised about what he has done at his new home.” But now, Catherine needed to know if she could ever bring Khan back home. She got her phone and started to dial the veterinarian.

The Time Has Come… Catherine called the vet to find out more about Khan’s state of being. All she wanted was to take the once neglected dog back home to her family. She wanted to give him a good life full of love and companionship. Afterall, he risked his life for her own daughter. When Catherine finally reached the veterinarian, Khan’s doctor informed Catherine that Khan had been very sick all night. The vet continued to explain Khan’s chances of surviving.

Final Call Catherine could not wait any longer to know if she would be able to bring her new furry baby home. The vet continued to share how Khan was doing. According to the vet, Khan was slowly getting better! He was still very weak, but there was no longer any risk of total paralysis as a result of the snake’s venom. Catherine breathed her first sigh of relief in a long time. The anti-venom did its job! But wait…

A Full Recovery? Now, Catherine needed to know if Khan would ever make a full recovery. Luckily, the vet believed that he would be okay. According to snake expert on Adelaide, it seems that Khan only survived the snake bite because the snake did not manage to inject a lot of venom into Khan. If the snake had injected the full amount of venom, Khan would probably not have survived. So, where is Khan and baby Charlotte today?

The Results Were In The vet invited her into his office and pulled out Khan’s file with all the crucial information. After so much build up, the answers that Catherine was looking for were finally here: the vet told her that Khan had recovered successfully and was on the mend. He was astounded at just how fast the dog had bounced back from the poison. Catherine was ecstatic after hearing the news and couldn’t wait to be reunited with her hero.