Heroic Jack Russell Terriers You’ll Never Forget


A Jack Russell Terrier in a Superman costume

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We all love our JRTs. They’re peppy, adorable, and oh-so-clever. But when a lot of people think about canine heroes, the image that comes to mind is something a bit…bigger.

Well!

Jack Russells may be small in stature, but they’re big in spirit. And inside each and every one beats the heart of a hero.

Don’t believe me?

Check out these heroic Jack Russell terriers who can hold their own with the big dogs — and more.

Jack the JRT Punches Above His Weight

In 2014, 65-year old Alan Bennett of Whitebridge, Australia, saw what a determined Jack Russell could do, up close and personal.

Bennett, who had two dogs of his own, was acting as a foster carer for Jack, a spunky little JRT. Jack had been abandoned by his previous owner, and Bennett was giving him a temporary home until he found a new one.

One day, two large dogs escaped from their yard and came into Bennett’s yard, where they proceeded to attack Bennett’s other two dogs.

Without a thought, Jack jumped in — even though the invaders were so much bigger than him.

Bennett, too, stepped in to help his pups. And that was when things got considerably worse.

The invading dogs turned on Bennett.

One of them latched onto his calf, tearing the muscle. When Bennett went down, one of the dogs went for his neck. Then the largest dog started to drag Bennett by his leg.

But Jack came to the rescue.

“‘That’s when Jack jumped in and acted as a diversion so I could get away,” Bennett told The Newcastle Herald. “He was taking on two dogs who were three times his size.”

A neighbor tried to help, and received some vicious bites for her trouble.

Eventually another neighbor called the police and an ambulance.

When it was all over, Jack, too, ended up with stitches. But his plastic cone was no mark of shame. Everyone agreed that Jack is a hero.

And Bennett agreed that Jack’s permanent home should be with him.

Meet Award-Winning Kismet

Another JRT that proves heroes come in all sizes is Kismet, a wire-haired JRT from Utah.

Brave Kismet not only took on a violent burglar, but also won a Hambone award for his exploits. Nationwide awards the Hambone each year for the most unusual pet insurance claim. And Kismet’s claim was a doozy.

One afternoon in 2016, a burglar broke into the home of four year old Kismet and his human, Shu Li. It was a home-invasion style robbery. That is, they didn’t just want money or property. In fact, the first thing the invader did, was to go into Li’s bedroom and start bludgeoning her with a club.

Kismet immediately came to Li’s rescue, biting the attacker’s legs and ankles.

The attacker turned on Kismet and stabbed him, while Li escaped.

The burglar then chased Li, but Li managed to get help.

Both she and Kismet would require complicated surgery to recover. But in the end, they both came through.

No one knows why the burglar chose Li’s house. But everyone agrees that Kismet saved her life.

Heroes Come in All Packages!

As any Jack Russell owner knows, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.

And these heroic Jack Russell terriers prove it!

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