In the quiet residential neighborhood of Huaral, Peru, what began as an ordinary evening nearly turned into tragedy when a mysterious figure in black clothing hurled a lit stick of dynamite into the entryway of journalist Carlos Alberto Mesías Zárate’s home.
But thanks to the quick thinking and brave actions of the family’s beloved cocker spaniel mix, Manchis, a potential catastrophe was averted in a manner that seems straight out of an action movie.
Surveillance cameras captured the extraordinary moment when Manchis spotted the explosive device and immediately sprang into action. Without hesitation, the determined dog raced toward the dangerous object, grabbed it firmly in her mouth, and began chewing through the fuse with remarkable precision until the flame was completely extinguished.
“She chewed it and chewed it and saved our lives,” Zárate told NBC News, his voice filled with gratitude for his four-legged hero.
The stakes couldn’t have been higher that evening. Inside the home were ten family members and three other dogs, all of whom would have faced devastating consequences had the explosive detonated. Authorities later confirmed that the device contained the same type of dynamite typically used in landmines, making Manchis’ intervention all the more crucial.
Zárate, whose work as an investigative journalist has apparently made him a target, believes the attempted bombing was directly connected to his reporting activities. The incident has prompted the family to request police protection, while law enforcement has arrested one suspect in connection with the attack. A bomb squad was deployed to secure the scene and ensure no other threats remained.
While the family emerged physically unharmed from the terrifying ordeal, Manchis paid a significant price for her heroic deed. The act of biting through the explosive’s fuse caused serious damage to her vocal cords, permanently altering her once-distinctive bark.
“You can’t hear her bark now,” Zárate explained, describing how his formerly loud and alert watchdog can now only produce a faint rasp where her powerful bark once commanded attention throughout the household.
Despite this lasting injury, Manchis has been transformed from a family pet into a local celebrity, with residents and animal lovers around the world celebrating her act of courage.