Shawn Hanson of Victoria, British Columbia, is the person his dog believes him to be.
The 38-year-old man got into a fight with a cougar that captured his mini dachshund during a camping trip over Fourth of July weekend, according to ABC News.
Hanson and his friends had reportedly decided to go fishing, and when he returned to the campsite, a female cougar emerged from the woods and grabbed his 1-year-old dog, Bailey.
“I see something out of the corner of my eye and a cougar jumped out about 10 to 15 away and just snatched the dog,” explained Hanson.
“It put her paw down and her mouth around her [Bailey’s] neck and started dragging her.”
Hanson took no time to decide that he needed to save his beloved dog.
“Without thinking I chased in after it, catching up as it stops to see what is following,” wrote Hanson in a Facebook post, according to The Huffington Post.
“I grab Bailey with one hand, punch the cougar in the face with the other, and it releases its grip on her neck.”
Hanson then reportedly handed Bailey to his wife and headed back into the bushes in case the cougar would return to the campsite.
“It was still in the same location from when I punched it. It pounced forward to get a better look at me, so I shot a warning shot off to the side. I could’ve backed away, but it was ready to spring and was only 20 feet away,” explained Hanson.
Hanson reportedly made the decision to put the cougar down in fear that he and others would be in danger.
“I was thinking of the safety of myself, the other people, and the children that were around,” stated Hanson.
“It is an unfortunate turn of events. They’re beautiful animals, but it turned out to be a cat that was brazen.”
Hanson reportedly called the police and conservation officers after the incident, who informed him that they had been tracking the emaciated animal.
Bailey is reportedly recovering from the puncture wounds and damage to a gland in her neck.
“She’s one of the family, and that’s why I reacted the way I did,” explained Hanson.
