A Seattle dog named Judah took two bullets protecting his owner during a domestic violence attack two years ago, and now the fragments still lodged in his head have shifted, putting him at risk of permanent brain damage or blindness unless he gets surgery soon. His owner, Lauren Wiggins, is asking the community for help covering the cost.
Wiggins said she was trying to leave her home in November 2024 when her ex-fiancé grabbed a gun and shot her in the leg, according to FOX 13 Seattle. During the attack, Judah intervened by attacking the man and was shot in the head and shoulder. Wiggins is now paralyzed from the knee down on her right leg and wears an orthotic to walk, the station reports.
Accounts of exactly who fired the shot that hit Judah differ. A fundraiser launched on Judah's behalf states plainly that police shot the dog, with the post describing a frantic scene at an emergency vet clinic: “This evening the police shot my dog. I'm at the MedVet now, and the vet told me the bullet is still inside and he's actively bleeding,” according to the GiveSendGo campaign. FOX 13's reporting, however, ties the shooting directly to the domestic violence incident involving Wiggins's ex-fiancé. The two accounts have not been reconciled.
Fragments Shifting Inside Judah's Skull
Now seven years old, Judah recently developed swelling in his head, prompting a new round of veterinary evaluation. The station's report notes that veterinarians determined the bullet fragments must now be surgically removed to prevent permanent brain damage or vision loss, more than a year after the original shooting.
The fundraiser describes the situation as urgent, estimating the surgery will cost between $5,000 and $7,000. Without it, the campaign states, Wiggins says she will have to put Judah down. The post frames the surgery as the only path to saving the dog that she says protected her.
A Pattern Seen Elsewhere in the Region
Judah's case echoes another recent Washington story involving a dog shot while defending its owner. Rex, a German shepherd in Des Moines, was shot three times while protecting his teenage owner during a home invasion, per the same station's account of that incident. Sixteen-year-old Javier Mercado told FOX 13 he believed Rex saved his life: “If it wasn't for him, I feel like I wouldn't be standing here right now.” Rex underwent surgery to repair a fractured tibia in his left hind leg and was reported to be recovering well at a veterinary hospital afterward.
Resources for Pets Caught in Domestic Violence
Resources for Pets Caught in Domestic Violence Judah's ordeal highlights a gap that advocates have long pointed to: many domestic violence shelters do not accept pets, leaving victims to make difficult choices when they flee. Temporary crisis pet care for pets of domestic violence victims is available through multiple organizations. The city also points to additional temporary crisis pet care options for residents experiencing homelessness or domestic violence, available through a number of organizations, according to the City of Seattle.
For now, Judah's fate rests on whether the surgery can be funded in time. Wiggins continues to live with the physical aftermath of the attack herself, and her fight to save the dog she credits with intervening has become its own ongoing crisis, separate from the unresolved question of exactly whose bullet caused his injuries.
