Dogs are one of the most devoted animals, capable of lavishing you with unconditional love. They are not only loyal to their families, but also protective of them.

A German Shepherd recently rescued its owner from a robbery and nearly killed him. According to Mail Online, the incident occurred in South Africa when Gino Wensel went for a walk with his dog, Duke.

However, a few minutes later, he noticed a man approaching him with a knife in his hand. Duke snarled at the robber when he noticed him. To put a stop to it, the robber stabbed Duke in the head, seriously injuring him.

Duke, on the other hand, refused to back down, barking at the robber and scaring him away before succumbing to his injuries in a pool of blood. Wensel thought his dog had died until he noticed the warrior was still alive.

He drove Duke to the Animal Welfare Society of South Africa with the help of a friend. Duke was saved by the vet at the clinic after the knife’s blade miraculously missed his brain by centimeters. Duke’s therapy was free because Wensel was unemployed and had very little money.

“Their love is so important, and to be able to rescue Duke and return him to Gino was absolutely fantastic,” hospital specialists said.

Here’s a cute video of the Duke and Wensel reuniting: