Rescue dog saves nurse and family from cobra: A powerful lesson on second chances
A cobra slithered into nurse Emily Yap's home on Christmas Day (Dec 25) last year, shocking the family.
It was their rescue dog that drove the snake away.
Stomper Audrey, Ms Yap's mother, shared an account of what happened.
Their dog Scooby charged, barked, lunged and chased the cobra out of the house.
"The same dog once labelled 'difficult', 'unsafe', 'not worth the risk' stood between us and real harm," Ms Yap said.
Only years earlier, Scooby was "afraid of everything", snapping and biting "not out of aggression, but fear".
"Many would have returned Scooby," Ms Yap said.
Patience, consistency and love
The 26-year-old nurse shared that the family adopted Scooby in 2014 from Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD), a rescue organisation that focuses on rehabilitating and rehoming stray dogs. They brought Scooby home a few months after their previous dog, Belle, had died.
The family fell in love with Scooby at first sight because of her pixie ears and dewy hazel-brown eyes. That said, love is never without its challenges.
Scooby had been traumatised as a puppy after her mother was killed by a lorry in an accident. Loud noises and large vehicles terrified her, often leaving her shaking.
"For weeks, Scooby slept curled tight, always alert," Ms Yap said. "Loud noises sent her shaking. Trust, for her, came slowly and at a cost."
Ms Yap and her family had to work very patiently to allow Scooby to feel more at ease, especially on walks.
"Through patience, consistency, and love, Scooby became part of our family," Ms Yap said. "Not perfect. Not easy. But ours."
More than just animals
Ms Yap believes second chances go beyond adopting rescue animals – they extend to humans too.
She pointed to struggling students, single parents with gaps in their résumés, and other people who have been left behind or written off.
"Sometimes, all it takes is one person choosing not to walk away," she said.
"So if you can, adopt the dog others pass by. Mentor the student others have given up on. Hire beyond the perfect résumé."
For Ms Yap, leadership is not about spotting perfection.
"It's about recognising worth before it is obvious — and standing by that choice," she said.
Her question to everyone is simple: "Ask yourself: who have you written off?
"Because the next life you meet — the one deemed too difficult or broken — might just be waiting for someone to say… not yet."
