A suicidal man says his life was saved by his DOG – which grabbed his noose and chewed it up.
Byron Taylor, 23, says he would not be here if it were not for Geo a six-year-old Rare Welsh Bull Mastiff.
Byron was at his lowest point and tried to end his life by hanging himself, only for his normally passive dog to step in.
Geo grabbed the noose and wouldn’t give it back, even growling as Byron tried to wrestle it back.
Now in a better place, Byron is facing life without his faithful pet after it was diagnosed with an aggressive tumour and given only days to live.
Byron, from Slimbridge, Glos., said: “Geo is an amazing dog.
“He saved my life a few years ago. I was in a very bad place and I attempted suicide.”
“My ex-partner left me. It was very horrible. She turned all the electric and gas on full pelt and took the keys to turn it off.
“She stole all the money and stuff. I lost everything. I couldn’t afford the rent.”
Byron, drinking heavily and in a dark place, made a noose to hang himself and then went downstairs to write a farewell note to his family.
But when he went back upstairs he discovered that Geo had sensed what he was about to do – and foiled him.
He recalled: “I came back upstairs and he had the noose in his mouth. At first, I thought he wanted to play.
“I said ‘give it here’, and he started growling at me.
“He chewed up the noose. He never growls, but each time I tried to take it off him, he would snarl. I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for him.
“In a way, I think Geo knew what I was going to do. They have a sixth sense about this kind of thing. He knew something was up.”
Geo’s demise will be a huge loss for Byron and his football team Bristol Rovers where the dog is considered a lucky mascot in the crowd.
He is often seen in a Rovers shirt and barks whenever the team score.
“Vets found a really aggressive tumour on his head and it is spreading to his muscles and his bones,” Byron said.
“The vet is happy for him to carry on as long as he is happy and playing, but it’s only going to be a matter of weeks.
“We going day by day. It’s a daily battle with the decision to put him down.”
Byron, who was a despatcher for the ambulance service, is doing a fundraising walk to raise money for Teckles animal sanctuary in Gloucester.
He hopes Geo will still be at his side for it – along with some of his 42 offspring who live in and around Bristol and Gloucestershire.
To join the sponsored walk contact Byron on byrontaylor1991@yahoo.co.uk.
