Hero Dog In Peru Saves Family After Dynamite Thrown Into Journalist's Home: "She Chewed It And..."

In Huaral, Peru, a 25-pound cocker spaniel mix named Manchis became a hero by preventing a dynamite explosion at her owner's home. The incident occurred at the residence of journalist Carlos Alberto Mesías Zarate, who believes the attack was linked to his investigative reporting. According to the New York Post, security footage captured a suspect throwing a lit stick of dynamite through a damaged window above the front door of Mr Zarate's home.

Manchis immediately sprang into action. The CCTV footage shows Manchis barking and racing down the stairs toward the explosive. Instinctively, she bit into the burning fuse, chewing it until the dynamite was deactivated, preventing a potentially fatal blast. Mr Zarate, stunned by the incident, told NBC News, "She chewed it and chewed it and saved our lives."

"This is Manchis. When someone threw a stick of dynamite into the entryway of her home earlier this week, she miraculously extinguished the lit fuse with her teeth before it detonated, preventing a massive tragedy. But she's not a trained bomb-sniffing dog or a K-9 unit with the police, she's the family pet of Alberto Mesías Zárate, a journalist in Peru," read the caption of the video shared on X.

Watch the video here:

This is Manchis. When someone threw a stick of dynamite into the entryway of her home earlier this week, she miraculously extinguished the lit fuse with her teeth before it detonated, preventing a massive tragedy. But she's not a trained bomb-sniffing dog or a K-9 unit with the… pic.twitter.com/VW30A5zlzN

— WeRateDogs (@dog_rates) August 27, 2025

Mr Zarate contacted the police, who dispatched a specialised bomb disposal unit to safely remove the device. A suspect has been arrested, and the investigation continues as an act of intimidation against the journalist. Mr Zárate and his family have since requested police protection.

Mr Zarate contacted the police, who dispatched a specialised bomb disposal unit to safely remove the device. A suspect has been arrested, and the investigation continues as an act of intimidation against the journalist. Mr Zárate and his family have since requested police protection. Authorities later identified the explosive as a type used in landmines.

While Manchis saved her family, the heroic act came at a cost. The dynamite damaged her vocal cords, leaving her unable to bark. Despite this, she remains active and has become a local celebrity, praised for her bravery.