Two weeks ago, a life-size bronze statue of Leo was put up next to a children's playground in Pancevo's city park, honoring the dog and teaching kids about animal friendship and sacrifice. The initiative to honor Leo was pushed through by an animal rights group after it gained widespread citizens' support through social networks and local media. The "Pets" group says Leo's is the first dog monument in Serbia, which has huge problems with stray dogs and notoriously low standards in animal welfare and protection. Vucetic, now a skinny 12-year-old, recalled returning home from a friend's house when the neighbor's guard dog came down the street, jumped at her from behind and grabbed her arm.