A cat has been hailed as a hero after saving a four-year-old boy from a dog attack in Bakersfield, California. Surveillance footage captured the moment the feline, named Tara, intervened when a neighbour's dog attacked the toddler in his driveway.
The incident occurred on Wednesday and was recorded by the family's security cameras. The video shows the boy, Jeremy Triantafilo, playing on his tricycle when the dog suddenly runs at him and grabs his leg. Within seconds, Tara rushes to the scene and chases the dog away. Jeremy's mother, Erica, who was also bitten, is seen pursuing the dog.
Erica told 23 ABC News: 'He was just playing outside and I was watering the plants. Next thing I know the dog was just there and it was shaking him. Before I could even get there, my cat clobbered him. She saved the day, chased him away and then came back to him after the dog was gone.'
Jeremy was taken to hospital and received ten stitches to his leg. The dog was voluntarily quarantined by its owners and will be put down after a ten-day quarantine period, according to police. The video has garnered over four million views on YouTube since being posted by Jeremy's father, Roger.
