Beagle Dumped For Being "Too Loud" Saves New Owner's Life By Barking At A Bear
Chico was abandoned by its previous owner for being too noisy.
Cover image via A Buddhist monk in Japan is crediting his "too loud" Beagle with saving his life during a surprise bear attack
Tougen Yoshihara, the abbot of Youkoku Temple in Niigata, was walking his 1-year-old rescue dog, Chico, near the forest on 29 May when a 1.6m-tall bear suddenly appeared.
The 45-year-old monk, known online as "a muscular monk", panicked and fell while trying to flee, dislocating his right shoulder.
"At that moment, I felt completely helpless," he said to TeNY News.
Then came the hero moment.
Image via Japan Daily
Chico, once abandoned for being "too loud", sprang into action — barking furiously and charging at the bear. The animal fled.
Chico chased it deep into the woods. Despite his injury, Yoshihara searched for him, until a tearful call came from his wife: "Chico came back."
The monk recalled seeing his dog return with "an expression full of pride".
That night, he let Chico sleep by his side.
Image via TeNY新潟一番ニュース / YouTube
Online in Japan, the story sparked a flood of emotional reactions
"Dumped for being too noisy, his bark later saved a life. Feels straight out of a Japanese folktale," one person wrote. Another added, "We should not adopt dogs simply for their cuteness, nor abandon them due to their noise."
Chico was previously given up by his former owner for being too noisy — a trait common in Beagles. Yoshihara adopted him and gave him a second chance.
Now, he calls Chico his "saviour". Karma certainly pays.
