'Hero' Dog Shot Protecting Boy During Home Invasion

UPDATE: Rex will undergo surgery Friday to fix a fractured tibia. Rex was shot in both hind legs during the home invasion.

DES MOINES, WA - A 2-year-old German Shepherd is being called a hero after he was shot three times during a daylight home invasion Wednesday. Rex was protecting his 16-year-old master when he was shot, and now his family is trying to raise $10,000 to pay for his vet bills.

Just before 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, the 16-year-old was at home when he heard noises outside. Rex began to bark, and then the boy heard glass break. The intruders entered the home by smashing the sliding glass door, Des Moines Commander Doug Jenkins said.

The boy hid in a closet and dialed 911. Meanwhile, a barking Rex ran downstairs to confront the intruders.

Then the boy heard gunshots. Rex stopped barking.

By then, Des Moines police were on the scene. The boy, still on the phone with 911, told an operator he could still hear noises in the home. Des Moines police were cautious entering the home thinking the armed intruders might be lurking somewhere. When officers went to get the boy, they saw Rex and assumed he was dead.

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After the boy was safe, the SWAT team swept the home looking for the intruders. They didn't find anyone, but they noticed that Rex was still alive. A Des Moines animal control officer at the scene took the dog to the BluePearl emergency vet in Renton.

Rex was shot three times, but is in stable condition at BluePearl, according to a spokesman. But the hero dog's recovery will be expensive.

Susy Cadena, the 16-year-old boy's aunt, set up a GoFundMe fundraiser for Rex. By Thursday afternoon, the fundraiser had already topped its $10,000 goal.

BluePearl spokesman Curtis Krueger said Rex was shot in the neck. The dog also has wounds from a projectile on each of his hind legs. Rex has been treated for shock and his wounds, and will be evaluated Thursday by a surgeon.

"My nephew was protected by his eternal friend until the last bit of strength he had in him to do what his unconditional, loving instinct told him to," Cadena wrote on the fundraiser page. "Rex’s life depends on a surgery he will need to survive."

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Photos via GoFundMe