He's Paco the chihuahua: He's a rescue dog and he's fearless--singlehandedly fighting off and chasing store robbers who were waving a shotgun at Altadena, California, store owner Eric Knight. With barks and bites of a dog ten times his size, 10-lb Paco chased thieves down a street before returning to check on 'his' store owner.
The chihuahua -- a rescue dog adopted years ago -- attacked store intruders, snapped at their ankles and had enough of a mighty 'roar' that the onslaught effectively spooked intruders who had suddenly arrived on-scene with demands for money. While the snapping pup caused robbers to flee quickly, Paco did not give up the fight. The rescued chihuahua chased robbers up the Altadena street in Los Angeles county before returning to the store -- to make sure his friend, the owner, was alright.
Paco then posted up, circling near the front entrance, in his role as security guard -- apparently in efforts to ensure thieves weren't planning a return, at least not on his watch. Paco weighs only 10 pounds, perhaps a bit portly when it comes to chihuahua sizes, but certainly tiny for a crimefighter.
Altadena store owner, Eric Knight, says: "It would have been a lot worse if Paco wasn't in the shop." The kicker: Paco doesn't even belong to Mr Knight -- the store Paco defended in such a mighty manner. The chihuahua lives locally in the neighborhood and considers the stores that line the Los Angeles area street -- and the people who run those stores -- both Paco's domain and his responsibility. Paco's been visiting Knight's shop and the man who runs it for about five years.
Paco the chihuahua goes patrols the streets daily -- visiting and guarding all the shops that line Lake Avenue in Altadena. Luckily, Knight's store happened to be on Paco's rounds -- the pup visiting in the same time frame as robbers chose to enter the store.
While thieves made off with about two hundred bucks in the heist, the California store owner is less upset about lost funds than what occurred during the robbery: Eric Knight says watching one part of the surveillance video that shows the robbery is especially upsetting: "They pointed the gun at Paco, which was scary, to say the least. When I saw them pointing a gun at Paco, it just kind of sent a chill up my back."
Rescued chihuahuas are making the rounds this month: One mighty dog's has just made "Ripley's Believe it or Not" fame as the first-ever sheepherder of her tiny breed. Video of Nancy the chihuahua's sheepherding skills show the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home rescue from London with some mad skills: She may be the first sheepherder to weigh just 2.5 pounds but she can effectively herd animals, with ease, that weigh up to one hundred times her size.
July 2011 surveillance video of Paco the chihuahua in the California robbery show the canine's incredible protection skills. The video's worthy of at least one viewing -- if not several. Eric Knight says he's considering a cape for the mighty crimefighter. "He [Paco] was rescued, so I suggest everybody rescue a dog from the pound," says Knight. "You never know when you're going to need him." Indeed.