Dogs always paint a picture of cute fuzzy adorable animals, better known as a human’s best friend. Well, Simba’s story just showed us that even dogs with the most fearsome reputation, are just that. Typically avoided due to their perceived ferocious nature, Simba changed the mind of an elderly lady when he came to her rescue.
Like most dogs, Simba, is rambunctious, really friendly, and sweet. He is also a pit bull, which is reason enough for some people to keep their distance.
This breed of dog has been through a lot, stemming from their breeding as participants in cruel blood sports as early as the 1800s. Over the years, however, as animal cruelty laws have gained traction, there has been increasing awareness that they are just like any other dog.
Most pets are not inherently aggressive, and behavior is largely the result of the complex interplay between genetics, environment, and social interactions. So the natural traits of animals, together with the kind of care they have been provided, can combine to generate different kinds of attitudes and social behaviors.
Now increasingly popular as family pets, dogs like Simba are particularly noted for their gentleness, affection, and loyalty.
Simba lives in an apartment in Sweden with his human, Arjanit Mehana. “I have had Simba since he was 8 weeks old. Now he is 4 years old and is a happy little guy. He loves to eat Dentastix and of course what’s on my plate. In the summer, swimming is one of the biggest favorites. Like running in the woods and playing with his dog buddies.”
While many people easily warm up to dogs, most of Simba’s neighbors have remained cool to him, unfairly influenced by the breed’s reputation. One elderly lady, their neighbor who lived one floor below, was particularly aloof. Mehana said, “He always tried to greet her, but she called him mean and looked at him with fear. She never liked him because he was a ‘bad’ breed.”
Simba’s attitude never changed, however, and he soon proved that he can be as caring and heroic as any other dog.
Mehana and Simba had just returned from a walk when they passed by the elderly lady’s unit on their way to their own home upstairs. Just as they passed the door, Simba began to act agitatedly. “He stopped,” Mehana said. “He began to bark and run to the door where the neighbor lives. I pulled the leash but he refused to come.”
Since Simba simply would not move, Mehana decided to try to pick him up. As he did so, a faint barely discernible sound came within the room. He recalled, “I heard a weak voice shout for help. She said, ‘Please don’t go.’”
Fortunately, the door was unlocked. Mehana opened it – and was shocked. He found the elderly had fallen and was stuck on the floor. “She had broken her hip and been in her home for a while,” Mehana said.
In fact, her situation had gone unnoticed for two long days. Alone and incapable of moving, her life was seriously in danger, until Simba heard her cry for help. He had sensed the distress of the elderly lady just in time.
Mehana immediately called for medical assistance, and Mehana and Simba stayed and comforted their neighbor until the ambulance arrived. The dog she often avoided in fear for her life had actually saved her.
From then on, their neighbor’s demeanor towards Simba changed. “She said, ‘Thank you for hearing me.’ I thought she was talking to me at first,” Mehana recalled. “But then she said, ‘No, not you — the nice doggie.’”
As the elderly recovered, news spread quickly and there has been great appreciation for Simba’s lifesaving action. Other residents in the building, even those who similarly shunned Simba, have been showering him with treats and gifts.
Simba is rightfully deserving of all the attention, but Mehana is more optimistic that what Simba did may go beyond the dog specifically, and hopefully change people’s attitudes towards the breed in general.
He said, “A labrador or a shepherd can be aggressive or kind and friendly as family dogs as any dog. It is not the dog breed that is the problem, but usually the one holding the leash. Give pit bulls a fair chance.”
Mehana, added “I know Simba is a wonderful dog. But I hope this event will make people see bully breeds differently. We, as human beings, must deserve their loyalty and love.”
h/t : The Dodo (This site is for everyone who loves animals and wants to spread that love and make the world a better place for them.)