A teenager from South Africa has told Newsweek how her beloved pet is not only her service dog, but also a skilled protector.
In a video that has gained viral attention on Instagram, Levi Grace Oosthuizen shared how her dog Bruce responded to a potentially dangerous situation while they were on a walk. Oosthuizen noticed a man following them for a concerning amount of time, and when she paused to tie her shoelace, she decided to start recording on her phone in case things escalated.
But that was when Bruce stepped in. Sensing the man approaching, he moved closer to his owner and began barking, deterring the stranger from coming any closer.
Levi and her dog Bruce rest by a fence in the viral video. The dog sprung into action to protect his owner, she told Newsweek.
@bruce_the_servicedog/Instagram
As a service dog trained in personal protection, Bruce’s reaction was instinctive yet controlled—barking to create distance without any physical aggression.
A 3-year-old American Staffordshire terrier, Bruce’s skills go beyond personal protection. “He is a medical alert and psychiatric service dog. He has many different tasks that he performs to help me with my disabilities. I suffer from POTS [postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome] and PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], and even though they are invisible disabilities, they still have a massive impact on my life,” Oosthuizen told Newsweek.
On a daily basis, Bruce alerts Oosthuizen to “incoming faints and panic attacks” and helps with some mobility and guide tasks when his owner is dizzy or disoriented. He also helps to create space in crowded areas; fetches medication; opens doors; and ensures no one touches her if she becomes unconscious. Bruce’s protection training gives his owner an added sense of security when they are out and about.
“There have been multiple times when I am alone walking, and suspicious people have tried to approach me, but the fact that Bruce watches them and barks if they get too close has been enough to deter them,” Oosthuizen said.
She shared the moment on Instagram where it has been viewed more than 1.4 million times. She hoped it would raise awareness of the value of a protection-trained dog.
In South Africa, where Oosthuizen and Bruce live, it is legal to have a service dog trained for protection. In the U.S., while it is generally legal to own a protection dog, there are restrictions and rules can differ from state to state when it comes to licensing and mandatory training.
“I wanted to share that video to raise awareness about the dangerous situations women find themselves in while just going along our day-to-day life,” Oosthuizen said. “I’m really glad that Bruce takes his training seriously and reacted the way he did, as it definitely saved me from a potentially life-threatening situation.”
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