Diamond is this family’s very best friend.
Diamond’s owner, Darryl Steen, and his two daughters were asleep in their Hayward, California apartment on October 24 when the 15-month old Pit Bull started barking. The apartment was on fire.
“She means everything to me. If it hadn’t been for this dog, me and my girls wouldn’t be alive,” Steen said.
Steen grabbed his 9-year-old daughter Darahne and dropped her to safety out of a second story window. He said he couldn’t find his 16-year-old daughter, Sierra, who was hiding under a mattress in her father’s room. But Diamond had found her, said firefighters who spotted the gray-and-white Pit Bull on the mattress shielding Sierra.
Steen and Sierra were hospitalized for weeks with burns, and had to have skin grafts. Diamond spent six weeks at a pet hospital, being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.
The bill was over $5,500 but people were so generous and there were so many donations, some money had to be sent back, Steen said.
And on Wednesday, Diamond received the ultimate award when the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles presented her with their 29th annual National Hero Dog award.
For 29 years the spcaLA has been recognizing the heroic efforts of a dog that is not formally trained for rescue or law enforcement. With her title, Diamond gets a plaque, dog food for a year, airfare to and from Los Angeles and hotel accommodations for her and her family.
Steen and his daughters meanwhile, are now living with his sister in Hayward, California while Diamond is staying with their other relatives because they haven’t been able to find an affordable apartment that will take the dog.
Some people worry that she weighs nearly 50 pounds while others are concerned about her breed, he said. But Steen, who will be able to return to his job at a warehouse in June, won’t give Diamond up, so he keeps looking.
He hopes the award helps the apartment search: “Hopefully it will, and I’ll be able to get a decent place with my dog.”
But yet for all her heroics, Diamond isn’t without an Achilles’ heel.
“She likes the dog park and playing with me and the girls. But she doesn’t like cats. She is scared of cats,” Steen said.
So Sad:( Bet they wouldn’t bat an eye at renting to a child molester!
that’s a sad and also wonderful story at the same time! the family and the dog are both lucky to have each other! the rest of that is solvable..
Bless your heart….you hold on to her..she is a very special dog and its a shame the bad rap they get. Hang in there!!!!!
Thank God for his Pit! These are the Best dogs ! I love my pit,it’s Sad that this is happening! But yet perverts can rent anywhere! What’s wrong with our world?
What a beautiful dog. She really loves her pack!!! People are so worried about the dog being on their property. The landlords should ask to see the dog (at least) before saying no Ususally you can tell by the attitude and nature of the person who owns the dog.
ABSOLUTELY!!!
Wish I lived in the area. They would all be welcome to stay with me! You can never have too many hero dogs!
What a heart-warming story. I hope the family will eventually find a great place that will take Diamond – amazing dog!
hang on in there Darryl, someone somewhere WILL rent to you. Diamond’s story is gonna do big things for the pit bull’s unfair image, and not everyone believes the hype. I really wish you and your 3 girls all the best for the future, i’ll be sending good vibes over The Pond to you all.
What a hero! Get over the PIT BILL THING people. They are great dogs. Good luck to you and your family and to Diamond. I hope someone who is not ignorant will find you.
They need to print out this article and show it to possible landlords, and word of mouth. Keep looking.
Thats what really pees me off people always put the Breed of the Pit Bulls down and think that they are bad dogs when they are not. My heart goes out to these people and I know how hard it is to find a place to live when you have a Pit Bull I have an American Pit bull that weighs 90 pounds and my other dog is 1/2 pit and 1/2 rotty and I will not part with my Dogs at all. I pray that these people find a place to live they have a good dog and maybe an animal lover will reach out to them and help them find a place to live thank God everyone is ok God Bless this family and their Dog
That’s great I have a pit bull and my cousin’s 1 yr old 45lb pit bull runs from my son’s 16week old 5 lb (if that much) kitten. It’s hilarious to watch but we do go get the kitten Suki could easily get hurt by accident even though Kharma is very gentle with her.
That’s great I have a pit bull and my cousin’s 1 yr old 45lb pit bull runs from my son’s 16week old 5 lb (if that much) kitten. It’s hilarious to watch but we do go get the kitten Suki could easily get hurt by accident even though Kharma is very gentle with her.
I think some people are just cruel. I’ve know many people with pit bulls and they were the sweetest dogs. It’s not the dog, it’s the owner and any dog can be gentle or any dog can be mean. It’s all in the training. Somebody needs to rent this family an apartment and be happy that they have a dog,(doesn’t matter the breed), who puts her life on the line to save her family. I hope that this family has found a new home as this comment is awhile since this happened. If the spca can give Diamond an award for being a HERO to this family than someone needs to make sure they get a home to live. As they say Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and in this case Diamond really is a BEST FRIEND to this family. Way to go ‘GIRL’ All the best to this family and may God Bless all of you including Diamond from a Canadian Animal Lover.
Amen to that, Marie ! My daughter and I have pit bulls and they are so great! They are the sweetest dogs I have ever had ! It is such a shame the breed gets such a bad rap!
Brave dog. Great
Just goes to show you its not the breed it people pits are family dogs and som of the most loial family members that youll ever have god bless your family and your hero thers places that will
give her a chance good job please keep her they have a bad rap this is a secess story and proff that its not the bread
I wish i had a property to rent to them. So sad. Thry tried to ban pitbulls in my County and they were met with major opposition. Wish everyone would understand,Its the owner, not the breed.
The American Staffordshire Terrier, the so-call pit bull of today, was bred as a strong, gladiator type dog, with the ferocity, tenacity and aim to please their ‘master’ in days when that was needed and required. They were later realized as great family dogs. They were once known as The Nanny Dog, for their protective spirit of their family, especially the children, and didn’t ‘attack’ to prove their loyalty. Their ‘stance’ was enough to deter the most determined… They were so popular and once again, their aim to please their ‘master’, still so strong, if forced to fight, they will, but they REALLY don’t like it… Not the true breed… not this overbred, over used, abused, breed of dog… My heart goes out to this family and their AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER!
Pit Bulls were known for centuries as “Nanny Dogs.” They were well-loved and highly desired among the British aristocracy to watch over and protect their children, and the dogs were, and still are excellent at that job. They do NOT want to be gladiator dogs! Would YOU want to be tossed into a ring to fight for your life for a scrap of food? They are only trying to please their masters, who are the true evil ones. Stop judging this gentle, loving breed based on a small handful of sensationalized stories. There are no bad dogs, only bad owners. Any dog, from a chihuahua to a rottweiler, if raised in a loving, caring environment, will be a loving, wonderful dog. I have a Westie who was rescued from a very abusive home environment a little over two years ago. He’s a very loveable little fella, but he could turn on a dime and bite the living daylights out of you, and I have the scars to prove it. Part of it was from the abuse, partly because he suffered an illness his previous owners ignored. Two and a half years, a healthy diet, proper medication and plenty of patience and love, later,and he is coming to realize he has finally found his “forever home,” with someone who loves him unconditionally(I have never once struck him, in spite of the agressiveness), and will take good care of him, not to mention cater to his every whim! Best of all? He has a Westie sister to play with and keep him company on the rare occasions I’m out of the house. So you see? There really are no bad dogs, only bad people. Give this family a break and give them a place to live, already. The next life that pit bull saves might be your
own.