In Cordova, New Mexico, a family dog is getting a new nickname after a violent run-in with a bear left her badly hurt but alive.
Honey, a 12-year-old dog who is half-blind, is being celebrated by the Martinez family after what they say was a fight to protect their rural property and the animals on it.
Earlier this month, Honey was outside on the family’s land, where the Martinezes keep chickens, horses and other animals, when Denise Martinez noticed she had locked onto something.
“She was tracking something at the time. We didn’t know what, but we knew she was tracking something,” Denise Martinez said to KOB4.
The next morning, the family found Honey lying in the driveway with serious injuries. Around the property, they saw what they described as signs of a struggle, including scratches on fences and trees that pointed to a bear coming onto the land.
Leanna Martinez said the extent of Honey’s injuries became clear right away.
“Her face was swollen on the left… and that’s when I saw, like her whole neck was just ripped from the back all the way down,” she said to KOB4.
Despite those injuries, Honey had made it back to the house.
The family rushed her to an emergency veterinarian, where she stayed overnight for treatment.
“It was just devastating. You know, I never thought I would ever see our dog in that shape,” Darren Martinez said.
As medical costs grew, the family sought help from Española Humane. The clinic treated Honey’s deep neck wound and continued her care with bandage changes and medication at a lower cost.
Mattie Allen described how severe Honey’s condition was when she arrived.
“Her face was so hugely swollen I mean you couldn’t even tell features in her face,” Allen said.
Honey is still recovering, and the family says she has a long way to go. Her wound remains open and is expected to take months to heal fully.
Still, the Martinezes say what happened that night showed exactly what kind of dog Honey is. They believe she stepped in to protect not only the family, but the animals that live on the property.
“She’s our little savior,” Denise said. “She’s been nicknamed the bear slayer.”
The family’s praise for Honey comes with one detail they say makes the story even sweeter.
“She’s afraid of the vacuum cleaner.”
