Correspondent

On the morning of Aug. 13th, John Bullard of Speedwell did not know that a stray dog he had rescued would return the favor later in the day.

Nearly five years ago, Bullard and Elizabeth Kivett Lamb jointly adopted a stray Collie-German Shepard mix dog. Shortly thereafter "RJ" the dog was hit by a car and suffered a broken right front leg. Despite veterinary efforts to save it, the leg had to be amputated. But thanks to the efforts of Dr. Mark Watson and his staff at the Bell County Animal Clinic, the dogs life was saved. When RJ recovered, Bullard gave the dog to his parents, Ray and Lillie Bullard. The dog normally stayed inside the fenced yard of the elder Bullards.

John Bullard, 63, had been vaccinating cattle near his parents' home and was in the process of quitting for the day. Apparently without provocation, a 1,000 pound bull charged him, knocking him down a bank. Bullard suffered a broken neck and four broken ribs. Lillie Bullard witnessed the scene and ran to help her son. RJ dug under the gate and arrived first. The dog chased the bull across the pasture then returned to lay his head on Bullard, apparently to comfort him.

RJ remained with his master until Bullard was transported by Lifestar to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where he was treated. He came home about a week later, wearing a "halo" because of the broken neck. Today he is able to walk with the aid of a walker and is in good spirits. He says that he gets along reasonably well except that he cannot get into a car. The family must borrow a van in order to take John anywhere.

According to family members the bull was usually gentle and would even allow children to pet it. No one could hazard a guess as to why the bull would charge Bullard. Neither could anyone imagine that a dog with only one front leg could rapidly dig under a gate to protect his friend. The entire family believes that the bull would have charged again causing further injury or death except for the heroic deeds of a three-legged dog named RJ.