In the picturesque area of Big Bar, Trinity County, California, Erin Wilson, 24, was spending the afternoon with her 2-year-old dog Eva.
Wildlife officers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) claim that they were traveling on State Route 299 when they pulled over alongside the road close to a picnic spot next to Trinity River and got out to go for a stroll.
Erin heard a sound next to her when Eva was a little ahead of her and loose on her leash.
Before Erin could react, a mountain lion leaped out of the woods and injured her left shoulder.
When Erin yelled for Eva, the dog immediately attacked the tiger with all of her strength.
The huge cat continued to bite the dog’s head while doing so. They fought for a few seconds until Erin told TODAY, “I heard her start weeping. The cat then began to cling to her skull.
Fearing about her dear pet, the woman began to fight the mountain lion herself. She threw rocks at it, pulled them apart, and even tried to choke and tear out the cat’s eyes—all in vain. The tiger remained inert.
The mountain lion eventually gave up and bolted after the pair started beating him with the PVC pipe.
Erin didn’t waste any time rushing her bleeding puppy to the nearest urgent care facility. The puppy suffered severe damage.
Eva had two fractures in her skull, a perforated sinus, serious damage to her left eye, and she was having seizures. The pup’s fate was uncertain, but with the help of her family and the combined care of the veterinarians, she found the fortitude to persevere and was sent home a few days later.
Erin is continuing to heal with her favorite toys by her side, and thankfully none of her wounds were life-threatening.
