George was no more than 30 centimeters tall, but that day he stood as if he were a giant.
It was April 29, 2007, in Manaia, New Zealand. Five children between 4 and 11 years old were walking home from a local shop when two pit bulls charged at them. George, a 9-year-old Jack Russell Terrier belonging to Alan Gay, stepped between the children and the attackers without thinking twice.
He suffered deep bites to the head, neck, chest, and back. He gave the children just enough time to run and get to safety. His wounds were so severe that the veterinarians could not save him.
Today, a bronze statue commemorates him on Kauae Street, and the Manaia community continues to bring him flowers. Richard Rosewarne, one of the children he saved, still tells the story. George never knew that he would become a symbol of courage: he simply did what he had to do.