Pit Bulls' frantic barking warned mom of danger lurking in the garden — 30 minutes later, toddlers were safe, but they were rushed to the ER
On a Sunday afternoon in August 2017, Melissa Butt of Thonotosassa, Florida, sat outside enjoying the sun with her two young grandchildren. The children laughed and played near the porch while two family Pit Bulls, Slayer and Paco, rested nearby. Everything felt calm until a sudden bark broke the peace. The dogs’ tone was different this time, sharp, urgent, and filled with alarm. Something was hidden just a few feet from the front door, and the dogs were not backing down. What happened next became a story of courage and loyalty, sending a brave dog to the emergency vet.
As reported by CBS News, Melissa recalled how her dogs began barking nonstop, standing protectively in front of her grandchildren. Confused but alert, she ran to see what had caught their attention. When she looked closer, she froze. Coiled in the grass was a large snake, later identified as a copperhead. Without hesitation, Melissa shouted for her daughter, who grabbed the children and rushed them inside. Paco, the then nine-month-old pup, had been the first to notice the danger. But his older “brother,” Slayer, quickly stepped forward to face the threat. What happened in the next few moments showed the deep instinct these dogs had to protect their family.
According to Melissa, Paco was struck first, bitten on the elbow when he tried to block the snake. Instantly, Slayer took charge. The then three-year-old Pit Bull lunged forward, grabbing the snake in his jaws. He shook it violently until the danger was over. “He almost bit him in half,” Melissa later told the news channel. But Slayer paid a heavy price for his bravery. The copperhead bit him twice on the face before it died. Within half an hour, his snout swelled to twice its normal size, and he was struggling to breathe. Realizing how serious it was, Melissa rushed both dogs to the BluePearl emergency vet clinic in Brandon, Florida.
At the hospital, the dogs were given antivenin and pain medication. For a while, the family feared Slayer might not make it. The cost of treatment was high, but help came from a local nonprofit called Frankie’s Friends, which stepped in to cover part of the bills. Slowly, both dogs began to recover. Paco was released first, but Slayer stayed longer for observation. When Melissa visited him, his face was so swollen he could barely lick her hand. "It was devastating to see how bad it had gotten," Melissa shared with TODAY. By midweek, Slayer was strong enough to return home to his family.
Melissa and her family later began working to make their yard safer. "My husband and I are both big researchers, do-it-yourselfers. Our boys are our boys, and we've already started the process to make our yard a little less snake-friendly," she said. They had expected wildlife like hawks or alligators in Florida, but never imagined venomous snakes so close to home. Her brave Pit Bulls, once seen by many as just pets, proved to be true guardians. As Melissa’s grandson, then four-year-old Zayden, said when Slayer came home, “Slayer protects me. Slayer protects us. He will always protect me.”