Brave Dog, Eva, Risked Her Life To Save Her Owner From A Mountain Lion Attack

"They fought for a couple seconds, and then I heard her start crying."

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• June 9, 2022

Many dog owners would do almost anything for their pets in exchange for cuddles and goofy looks. However, a brave dog named Eva nearly died while saving her owner, Erin Wilson, from an unusual mountain lion attack on a hiking trail in distant Northern California.

Eva is Wilson’s two-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois. The breed is extremely smart, fearless, instinctive, and agile.

Erin was spending the afternoon with Eva in the lovely Big Bar area of Trinity County, California. They’d been driving before pulling over beside the road near a picnic area near the Trinity River and going for a walk.

When Erin heard a sound beside her, Eva was barely ahead of her and off her strap. A big mountain lion jumped out of the bushes and swiped Erin across the left shoulder, injuring her.

The mountain lion growled and readied for its second strike, causing Erin to yell Eva’s name in horror, and Eva charged at the lion in a split second. The predator lost interest in Erin, letting her flee to safety.

However, the horror was just getting started. Eva’s head was bit by a large cat that wouldn’t let go.

“They battled for a few seconds, then I heard her cry, and that’s when the cat locked onto her head,” Erin explained.

Dog Saves Her Owner’s Life During Mountain Lion Attack

Worried for her beloved pet, Erin began attacking the lion herself, hurling stones at it before tugging and pulling at it, even trying to strangle it. The lion refused to budge.

Erin Wilson and her 2-year-old dog Eva were taking a little stroll before tragedy struck

Erin dashed back up the road, flagged down a passing vehicle, grabbed a can of pepper spray and a PVC pipe, and dashed away to the fighting animals.

A mountain lion had scraped its claws across her shoulder

The dog charged at the cougar with all her strength

Unfortunately, the pepper spray had no effect. It only encouraged the mountain lion to leave the trail, dragging Eva along with him.

The lion got the upper hand and bit down on the dog’s head

Erin, on the other hand, was not about to give up her dog so easily. She started hitting the mountain lion with the PVC pipe and hollering at the cat to leave her dog alone until the predator let go and ran away.

She stopped a passing car and asked for help

The individual person had a PVC pipe and pepper spray and the mountain lion ran away

Erin wasted no time getting her dog to the VCA Asher Animal Hospital for emergency treatment, disregarding her own injuries in the process. Connor Kenny, Erin’s husband, revealed that the dog had two broken bones, a ruptured sinus cavity, substantial damage to her left eye, and was having seizures.

The cute dog sustained grave injuries

No one was sure if Eva would survive

It was uncertain whether the puppy would survive, but Erin hoped and prayed that her beloved pet would survive. The pup fought so hard for her life, and with incredible care from the veterinarians and her family, she grew stronger with each passing day and eventually recovered completely.

She still gathered the strength to keep moving

Erin started a GoFundMe page and people supported

Every injury Erin sustained were not life-threatening

Erin set up a GoFundMe page to help offset the medical costs. Fortunately, she was quickly overwhelmed by the public’s love and support for her courageous dog.

At least, the story has a happy ending

It's good to learn how to stand strong

We all wish Eva a smooth and quick recovery

Here's what people online had to say:

She's truly an angel

Healing thoughts to you both

Eva is the world's greatest dog

We're cheering for Eva

We wish Eva a speedy recovery

We're happy Eva is home too

Our four-legged friends, time and again, reshape our knowledge of unwavering love and loyalty. They can love you unconditionally, as Eva demonstrated in this gripping story.

People have continued to express their love and support for Erin and her courageous dog, Eva. Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!

Maryjane