WATCH:Cat Hailed A Fuzzy Heroine After Saving Boy From Dog Attack (Video)

dog attackA much-loved Tabby named Tara is being celebrated as a tiny heroine today after rescuing a four-year-old boy from a neighbor’s dog. The boy is?Jeremy Triantafilo of Bakersfield, California, who was playing outside his own home while his mother was off-camera watering a tree. His father posted surveillance video to YouTube of the attack. The video has gotten almost 6 million views.


The video shows Jeremy playing on a trike in his own driveway and the dog coming from a neighbor’s yard to attack the boy unprovoked. As the dog tugs at Jeremy’s leg, Tara runs in to literally jump on the dog’s head and give him a dose of feline acupuncture. While the dog runs off, Tara pursues and Jeremy’s mom, Erika, runs in to check on the boy, and then Erika and Tara both chase after the dog. Tara then returns to stand guard over the boy, following him as he heads to his door. As Erica chases the dog off the property, it again turns and attacks — this time biting her.

Jeremy was taken to the doctor and had ten stitches to close?the wounds that the dog attack inflicted. The neighbors who own the dog — a labrador/chow mix — voluntarily had the dog quarantined. The Bakersfield Police Department says the dog will be euthanized after ten days as a result?of the attack.

Jeremy said Tara is his hero.

H/T The Guardian.

 

EDITOR’S UPDATE: Jeremy and Tara’s parents were interviewed by NBC today, while Jeremy snoozed through the entire event. Tara mewled and complained about the attention. Of course she did, she’s a cat. Said Dad, “That dog did not even know what hit him.” Tara, master of the humble-brag, trots off mid-interview turning up her nose at all the fuss. ?Watch the interview here.

 

Edited by D.H.

 

H/T The Guardian

 

Simone, a liberal feminist through and through, lives in America's Midwest amongst more corn than she ever imagined possible. Her interests are varied, ranging from politics, art, and cooking to languages, sewing, and her collection of post-WWII Japanese china and ceramics. Her favorite blogging companions are her cats, Pusszirra, Krunk the Cave Cat, and BonusKitty.