‘The reason I lived’: Seattle woman seeks surgery for dog shot protecting her
Nov 2, 2026, 5:22 PM
A Seattle woman said her dog Judah saved her life during a 2024 shooting. (Photo courtesy of Lauren Wiggins)
(Photo courtesy of Lauren Wiggins)
A Seattle woman said her dog Judah, a 150-pound Cane Corso, saved her life during a 2024 shooting. Now she’s trying to get him surgery to remove bullet fragments left in his head.
Lauren Wiggins said the shooting happened in November 2024, about a week before she was due to get married. As she packed to leave the relationship, she said her former partner grabbed a gun from a bedroom dresser and began shooting at her, hitting her in the leg.
“Judah sprang into action,” Wiggins said. “He bit my former partner’s ear and blocked additional shots intended for me, but Judah was shot in the head and shoulder. It literally was the reason I lived that night.”
The bullet was not removed at the time because, Wiggins said, it was too dangerous.
This summer, Wiggins started noticing intermittent swelling around Judah’s head. After veterinary imaging, she said she learned the remaining fragments were mobile and affecting tissue between his eyes. She says his veterinarian warned they could move into more sensitive areas and risk his sight.
The veterinarian plans to surgically remove the fragments. Wiggins said estimates were about $10,000 without imaging and about $15,000 with imaging and pre- and post-operative care.
Wiggins has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for Judah’s treatment.
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