(photos courtesy of Ruth Vanderbout)
Ruth Vanderbout, who lives in the 9 Mile area just outside of Missoula, heard her dog, Jazzy, “just wailing” last week at approximately 2:00am. After running out to her veranda and looking down to see what the problem was, she saw that an animal had her dog pinned down on the ground. Then there was silence.
Instinctively, Ruth, barefoot and in her white fleece pajamas, jumped off the veranda toward her Australian Kelpie canine companion. The animal attacker took off running, leaving her dog injured and requiring that 13 areas be stitched along with another dozen other scrapes and gashes left to heal on their own.
“A neighbor found a track and identified it as a bobcat,” said Ruth. She believes that wearing all white and leaping off the veranda so quickly is what scared the feline attacker.
We are happy to report that Jazzy is recuperating with Ruth and family at home, and her stitches will be removed on Tuesday.
If you have any suggestions on how to deter bobcats and other wildlife from areas around your house, please post them on our Facebook page by clicking HERE.
