Dogs Are Awesome
BY Herschel Smith
2 years, 6 months ago
A dog in Northern California was critically injured earlier this week after saving its owner from an attacking mountain lion. The dog is still recovering from its injuries, according to a recent Instagram post, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife says that wildlife officers are still working to trap the lion.
Erin Wilson and her Belgian Malinois, Eva, were walking along the Trinity River near the White Bar picnic area on Monday afternoon when the big cat attacked, jumping on the woman from behind and scratching her left shoulder. Eva, who was out in front, heard Wilson scream, and the dog immediately jumped in to defend Wilson.
“I think it’s safe to assume that dog probably saved her life,” CDFW’s Patrick Foy said in an interview with the Sacramento Bee.
At some point during the battle, the mountain lion bit into the dog’s head and wouldn’t let go. After multiple attempts to get the cat off her dog, Wilson ran up to the highway to get a telescoping baton from her to car to use as a weapon. She was also able to recruit some additional help as she waved down a passerby, Sharon Houston, who was driving down CA-229 at the time.
“About 2:45 p.m., I was driving on 299 from the coast to Weaverville when I saw a woman trying to wave someone down,” Houston told the Redheaded Blackbelt, a local media outlet that originally broke the story on Tuesday. “She was frantic about it.”
After hearing what happened, Houston decided to help. Wilson had an extendable baton, and Houston had a portion of PVC pipe and some pepper spray. They found the lion, which had the dog by the neck at that point, and they began hitting it repeatedly.
“I thought, ‘Here we go,'” Houston said. “So, I started hitting it on the head, trying to get it to let go…I was just trying to get that thing away.” They eventually managed to free the dog, which ran toward the highway.
“[The mountain lion] swiped at us and bared its teeth,” Houston said. “I opened up my pepper spray and just hosed its face. It was the longest 5 to 10 seconds…I begged, ‘Please work, please work, please work.”
” … the dog immediately jumped in to defend Wilson.” Of course she did. “I think it’s safe to assume that dog probably saved her life.” Of course she did.
A pistol would have worked better to get rid of the cat.
On May 20, 2022 at 6:20 am, Wes said:
Delighted the dog came through it. Malinois is a wonderful serious dog that deserves a serious human.
Pepper spray “please work…” Heh. There’s a teachable moment there for the taking.
On May 20, 2022 at 10:49 am, TRX said:
> a pistol
Interestingly, in my state we can clank around with as many guns and knives as we wish, open or concealed… but an “expandable baton” is still a prohibited weapon as far as I can tell.
> Malinois
They’re pretty much what German Shepherds used to be, before the AKC made them into genetic defectives with sway backs and hip displasia.
On May 20, 2022 at 12:09 pm, Paul B said:
Dogs are for when you can’t have a gun. That dog should have been able to beat the lion. Would wonder if something was off on the cat as they usually run from dogs. Otherwise how would you tree one.
On May 20, 2022 at 2:02 pm, Herschel Smith said:
A pack of dogs can tree a big cat. A single dog will get killed trying something like that.
On May 20, 2022 at 4:44 pm, The Wretched Dog said:
“Dogs are for when you can’t have a gun.”
“” … the dog immediately jumped in to defend Wilson.” Of course she did. “I think it’s safe to assume that dog probably saved her life.” Of course she did.”
Verities, indeed. But while I am sympathetic to the story here presented, I am compelled – by recent experience – to point out that you cannot ever fully trust your dog.
Daughter has a cur dog, a loyal companion on the hobby farm for years. Abby (the dog) reliably and routinely kills any foreign critters, including wandering domestic cats, that present on the property. She and the two Rottweiler mutts run off the coyotes.
This past Monday, Abby snapped at our young domestic cat, crushing his neck. As the cat belonged here as one of my daughter’s many critters, Abby – the cur dog – knew it was off limits.
Daughter was in tears because, while the dog is much loved, so was the cat. Significantly, as daughter is likely pregnant we can no longer trust that dog once there is a baby about.
Animals, even well-loved, long-term pets, are never fully trustworthy.
TWD
On May 21, 2022 at 1:33 am, Dan said:
This happened in Kali. It’s not impossible to obtain a CCW in Kali….but doing so is close to impossible in all but the remotest counties. And having a loaded handgun in a vehicle is a crime there. ANYWHERE in the vehicle. So unless you are a one of the elite and holy in Kali you are either UNARMED or you are courting a criminal charge for possessing the means to defend yourself.
On May 22, 2022 at 1:03 pm, K9 Operator said:
Wes said:Malinois is a wonderful serious dog that deserves a serious human.
That’s a fact, the well trained and well bred are loyal, fearless and dependable. They don’t even know what quit means. Best dogs I have ever worked with.