A Virginia pit bull saved the lives of her family, but sadly lost her right leg in the process.

There's a reason why most owners consider their pets to be part of the family.

A Virginia pit bull saved the lives of her family, but sadly lost her right leg in the process.

Not long ago, four intruders crept into their home while the parents and children were asleep.

One of the armed individuals pointed a shotgun at the father, but the family dog jumped between the muzzle and the man just in time.

Unfortunately, that left the dog to take the impact of the shot.

The bullet shattered her shoulder and ripped the soft tissue from her front leg.

When the brave pit bull arrived at the animal hospital she was in shock and bleeding heavily.

Surgical efforts were underway almost immediately, but the leg couldn’t be saved so doctors had to go ahead with an amputation.

With the surgery complete and the prognosis good, only one problem remained – the matter of paying for the procedures.

The animal hospital posted the story on their Facebook page and asked their friends to send donations.

Within days, all of the dog’s medical expenses had been covered.