NAIA Official Blog

Dogs have been man’s best friend for the last 15,000 years, and perhaps twice as long as that. They don’t ask very much of their people, and in return, offer us company, entertainment, working partners, activities and hobbies, routine and stability, and near-limitless levels of acceptance. Sometimes forgotten is that one of the earliest and most important roles of dogs in their relationship with mankind was in the form of security and protection.

Fortunately, for Erin Wilson of California, her dog had no hesitation going into protection mode after seeing her owner clawed by a mountain lion. Eva, a 2½ year-old Belgian Malinois leapt into action after Wilson was attacked, attempting to fight off the aggressive and emaciated cougar. While Eva did not fare well and ended up with her head clamped in the cougar’s mouth, Wilson (now joined by another woman) struck the hungry animal with a tire iron and PVC pipe, and doused it with pepper spray until it let go of the dog and left the area. After the incident, a grateful Erin Wilson was quoted as saying “I will never be able to live up to how amazing and loyal she is to me.”

It’s a great thing when a dog has your back. And even better, Eva’s owner has her back: after receiving some fantastic veterinary care, Eva should be ready to come home today!

Resources
★     Woman’s dog saves her from mountain lion attack: “She’s a fighter. Clearly”
★     Your Safety in Mountain Lion Habitat

The more rent goes up, the more pets are dropped off, according to Orange County Animal Services in Florida. Posting a 37% increase in surrendered pets compared to the same time in 2021, they report seeing family pets that owners simply cannot care for anymore as the owners are forced out of their old homes into more affordable housing (or in some cases, evicted).

One comment that is often made in these situations is “So what if a big dog makes your new place feel crowded? You should still keep them.” But the fact of the matter is, many of the smaller, less expensive units that people downsize into have size, breed, or other restrictions on pet ownership that make moving in with their pets impossible. It is a sad fact that the joy of keeping a pet can become too large a burden during hard times.

Resources
★     Animal rescues reporting more owners surrendering pets due to housing crisis, inflation
★     As evictions rise, people may have to give up their pets. Animal shelters are calling for help.

The most basic role of animal control is protecting public health and safety, but in Nashville, Tennessee, residents have been complaining bitterly for the last year about their needs not being met. Their complaints: aggressive dogs roaming the street, vicious bites, and people scared to step outside to walk their own dogs. Pretty serious stuff! This is compounded by a perceived lack of caring and response by animal control, as well as its dangerous request that people catch, contain, and feed aggressive animals themselves until animal control can come out and pick them up.

For its part, animal control says it is simply beyond capacity, and can’t take in any more animals – but this doesn’t do anything to help people and pets who have suffered injuries or who are afraid for their safety right now. There are myriad issues compounding outrageous stories like this, but the good news is, all of them can be solved – and have been in the past. Hopefully, the exposé on Nashville Animal Control stirs change; stories like this feel like stepping into H.G. Wells’ time machine and setting the destination back 60 years.

Resources
★     ‘We’ve been sweating with it;’ Dog dumping continues to cause problems in Greene County
★     (NAIA) Responding to the Data: Constructing successful pet friendly ordinances