Dogs
Courageous dog takes on knife-wielding intruder to save her family
Marley didn't come out unscathed but she definitely came out a hero.
Jonathan Maes
04.15.21

An armed intruder in the house is every family’s nightmare.

Thankfully, this heroic dog went all out to protect her family.

Amber and Taylor Newsom live with their daughters in Wylie, Texas and suddenly heard the family dog barking prominently.

Facebook - Taylor A Newsom
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Facebook - Taylor A Newsom

The four-footer, who listens to the name Marley, was very loud and seemed upset, so the parents went to see what exactly was going on with their pup.

When they approached Marley, they realized she wasn’t alone.

Facebook - Taylor A Newsom
Source:
Facebook - Taylor A Newsom

Standing next to her was an intruder, a stranger with a knife who was able to sneak inside their home.

However, this brave black Labrador Retriever wasn’t just about to stand there and do nothing. She wasn going to protect her family, even if it meant putting her life on the line.

Marley lunged at the assailant, attempting to bite him.

Taylor Newson via iHeartdogs
Source:
Taylor Newson via iHeartdogs

Marley drove him into a corner and he began stabbing.

Taylor was able to back up his dog and punched the intruder, but since the criminal was armed with a knife, it wasn’t exactly a fair fight. Taylor was stabbed in his stomach and arm, but poor Marley was doing a lot worse.

Facebook - Taylor A Newsom
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Facebook - Taylor A Newsom

Marley had 6 stab wounds, all in her chest and around her mouth.

Even though recovery was immensely hard and they were all in shock, neither Taylor nor the dog suffered any life-threatening injuries.

“This could’ve been a lot worse,” Taylor said in a video he posted on Facebook. “This could have been deadly.”

Facebook - Taylor A Newsom
Source:
Facebook - Taylor A Newsom

The black labrador is now being praised as a hero dog for her brave and selfless actions. She knew that her family was in danger and proved that she would do anything to keep them safe – even if that meant she had to put herself in a dangerously life-threatening situation.

If Marley wasn’t there, who knows what could’ve happened.

Facebook - Taylor A Newsom
Source:
Facebook - Taylor A Newsom

As you can imagine, the story garnered the attention of plenty of local news outlets, and mom Amber was clearly upset and emotional when she talked to reporters about the whole incident, struggling to hold back tears.

“The story plays out very differently if Marley’s not there,” Taylor said to Fox 4 KDFW.

“She’s our hero,” Amber told. “If it hadn’t been for her, that guy could’ve gone [into our children’s] rooms or something.”

Taylor Newson via iHeartdogs
Source:
Taylor Newson via iHeartdogs

The intruder fled the scene but was apprehended by police soon after.

The man was hiding in a nearby creek but wasn’t able to escape the police officers who were on a manhunt. He was later identified as Thong Pham, 53 years old.

Aside from breaking and entering, the man will be charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon as well as acts of animal cruelty.

Taylor Newson via iHeartdogs
Source:
Taylor Newson via iHeartdogs

“We’re glad he got caught and is going to face a case for what he did to our dog,” Taylor said. “She’s always been protective… so it didn’t surprise me that she would bark. But the way she cornered him and held him there and didn’t engage until I did… that was impressive. You’d think she had been trained, but that was pure instinct.”

Taylor and loyal pooch Marley are still recovering from their injuries, but are doing well otherwise and will both make a full recovery.

Taylor Newson via iHeartdogs
Source:
Taylor Newson via iHeartdogs

In the meantime, Marley is definitely given some extra attention and treats for her absolutely incredible and selfless behavior – she’s a true hero dog.

“She seems almost back to normal although she still has her wounds,” Taylor said. “But they seem to be healing well. She’s the sweetest dog and just loves her people.”

What an absolutely remarkable pooch.

Hear Taylor’s full account of the incident in his video below!

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