Kilo, a 12-year-old pit bull, took a bullet to the head, when he defended his owner from a frightening home invasion on Saturday. The dog was shot by a man posing as a FedEx deliveryman during the robbery attempt.

Kilo's owner, Justin Becker says he was at his Graniteville, Staten Island home at 5 p.m. Saturday when the fake deliveryman pushed his way into the apartment after claiming he had a package. Becker shoved the robber to the ground, and pushed the door into his body — jamming the gunman as he lay halfway inside the apartment. Kilo then sprang into action. "My dog stuck his head out the door, and then [the thief] shot him in the head," Becker said. The criminal then ran away.

Shot in the head, Becker's girlfriend thought Kilo was a 'goner' and told Becker "Hold him in your arms. Let him die in your arms." But Becker wasn't ready to give up on his four-legged friend. "I’m not going to let him die,” he said, and he rushed his injured dog to South Shore Animal Hospital in New Dorp.

Dr. Greg Panarello examined Kilo and an X-ray revealed the bullet entered Kilo's head but did not get through his skull. Panarello explained the bullet ricocheted off Kilo’s skull and exited through his neck. "This is like, one in a million," said Dr. Greg Panarello of the odds Kilo survived. "He's a very lucky dog."

After his operation, Kilo has a lot of swelling, but appears not to have any bone fractures or brain injury. The hospital's staff put a badge with 'S' on Kilo's bandage, for "superhero." The 'S' could also stand for sweet, as Panarello called him "a really sweet dog."

Kilo is now resting at home and under strict orders to rest and has to be treated with painkillers and antibiotics. Although Becker said he was shocked by the $2200 vet care bill, he didn't hesitate to add "It saved my dog's life."

Justin Becker shows where his dog Kilo got shot by a home intruder.

• Pit Bull
• Staten Island
• home intruder
• heroic dog