Cougar vs Golden Retriever
Now, before we get involved in this David v Goliath story, and as this is read worldwide, it might be a good idea to take a moment to understand precisely who the combatants were
Most people around the world will be familiar with the Golden Retriever, a fairly benign, docile family pet.
Conversely, a cougar is a large cat, also known as a puma, mountain lion, catamount, or panther; it is a solitary predator weighing up to 95.5 kg (211 lbs). It is native to the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Attacks on humans are fairly rare; however, as with other wild animals, the cougar increasingly finds its territory invaded by humans, and it gets rather cross with this unwarranted intrusion. In fairness, the English have a saying along the lines of.. “An Englishman’s Home is His Castle.”
That said, it is understandable that wild animals occasionally feel the need to assert authority over their territory, just as we humans feel the need to protect our homes from intruders.
Some years ago, 11-year-old Austin Forman was gathering firewood outside his home in Boston Bar, British Columbia, Canada. This was a regular occurrence; however, Austin noticed the strange behaviour of the family pet dog, Angel. Normally, Angel runs around when Austin collected firewood, but it was obvious that on this occasion Angel stayed much closer than normal. So different was this behaviour that, at one point, Austin went back indoors and commented on this to his parents. We can only assume that Angel was aware of the presence of the cougar and showed her concern by staying close. The reason for this odd behaviour suddenly became apparent when a cougar suddenly appeared and charged Austin.
Not your average Retriever
Now, your average Golden Retriever is not in the same class as the German Shepherd or Rottweiler in the protection department; however, Angel is no ordinary Golden Retriever. This aptly named saviour never hesitated and ran forward to place herself between the charging cougar and the child. Terrified, Austin ran inside to inform his parents of what was happening outside, and they listened in their house in anguish to the battle going on outside.
A Golden Retriever versus a cougar is never going to be an even contest. They are two totally diametrically opposed individuals. The Retriever, a placid family pet, is up against a wild animal that kills to survive.
Fortunately, Austin’s mother, Sherri, had the presence of mind to ring the police without hesitation, and a member of the Canadian Mountain Police arrived shortly. Fortunately, Constable Claude Gravelle was no more than half a kilometre away and arrived just in time; the uneven battle was coming to the inevitable conclusion, and Angel was definitely not winning. The constable shot the cougar, and with the end of the battle came the opportunity to see up close how Angel nearly came to lose her life. With the demise of the cougar, it was possible to untangle the bodies, and it emerged that in the final moment of the battle the cougar had Angel’s face in its mouth, with the dog being covered in blood. Her injuries were extensive, including some nasty wounds to her head, numerous puncture wounds, and the blood loss showed that while the battle was such an uneven contest, Angel the Golden Retriever had fought ferociously to survive. I must admit the fact that she survived this confrontation, even for a short while, is a credit to her survival instinct.
With the cougar dead, Angel showed why the Golden Retriever is a hugely popular breed; despite her pain and suffering, she took a moment to give a reassuring lick to Austin, the child that she had just saved.
Steak for the hero
Needless to say, Angel was rushed to the Sardis Veterinary Hospital, where veterinary surgeon Jack Anvik treated the injured Golden Retriever and, after a lengthy surgery, expected her to make a full recovery. It appears that despite her discomfort, Angel continued to display her happy disposition while she recovered from her ordeal.
It was reported that while Angel was recovering, Austin had persuaded his grandfather to take him to town, where he purchased a large steak that will be a present to Angel when she returns home.
With my knowledge of veterinary medicine, I am sure that the vet would have recommended a light diet while Angel recovered from her ordeal; however, I have no doubt the steak was probably placed in the freezer to be consumed when the vet considered it appropriate.
“She is a Golden Retriever; they are always happy.”
Jack Anvik
Veterinary Surgeon
Sardis Veterinary Hospital
Related Tails
