When a wild animal is attacking a dog, you don’t have time to think. That’s why many dog lovers jump in to rescue their furry friends without thinking twice. Not every rescue attempt is successful, but Ian Orser from Grand Forks, British Columbia, was able to save his daughter’s dog from a cougar without getting hurt.
Looking back on the situation, Ian said it might not have been the smartest decision. But without his sudden bravery and dedication, the dog might have become cougar food. So, his family is now calling him a hero!
Faced with a Mountain Lion
Ian and his daughter, Megan Orser, were at a job site when the attack occurred. Ian is a plumber, and Megan’s three dogs tagged along while he worked. Suddenly, Ian and Megan heard yowling and screeching coming from outside, so Megan ran to see what the commotion was.
At first, Ian assumed the dogs had gotten into a fight. But when Megan screamed and shouted, “it’s a cougar,” Ian’s heart dropped. He knew his daughter and her dogs were likely in danger, so he rushed outside without hesitation. There, he saw a cougar dragging Megan’s mixed-breed dog named Red across the driveway.
All Ian could think to do was kick the cougar in the head. He kicked it several times until it let go of Red. However, the big cat didn’t run, so Ian tried to appear big and scary to shoo the feline away.
“He looked at me, he didn’t attack me or anything. I grabbed a stick and started shaking the stick around, beating the ground, looking as big as I could and he sort of sauntered away,” Ian said.
The Dog Survives!
Once the cougar backed off, Ian and Megan hopped into the truck with the dogs and took 9-year-old Red to the vet. Ian said he considered hitting the cougar with his truck as he drove away, but it ran from the driveway before he could.
Red is alive and doing well, but she needed about 20 stitches for wounds on her back, chest, neck, and legs. She’s taking painkillers and antibiotics to help her through her recovery process and has already started to liven up a bit by playing with the other dogs.
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“My dad’s a hero,” Megan said. “He saved my dog’s life. He’s very brave.”
Officers followed the cougar’s tracks to locate the animal. They said the feline was an elderly male that was emaciated. They euthanized the cougar to prevent it from harming other pets.
H/T: globalnews.ca
Featured Image: screenshots, globalnews.ca
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