Lifestyle Pets Vermont Dog Owner Says She Saved Chihuahua from Bobcat Attack: 'Don't Mess with My Little Baby' "The cat came around the corner and just latched onto him," the chihuahua's owner Christina LaRock said By Stephanie Wenger Stephanie Wenger Instagram Twitter Stephanie Wenger is a TV Writer/Reporter at PEOPLE. She joined the brand in 2021 as digital news writer, spanning across the site's verticals. She previously contributed to E! Online, HollywoodLife, Discover Los Angeles, Oscar.com and Hollywood.com. She appeared on air at AfterBuzz TV. She began her journalism career as an intern at Good Morning America and Access Hollywood. She graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor's in communications and received a Master's in journalism from the University of Southern California. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 25, 2022 04:38 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Getty A dog owner reportedly confronted a bobcat and saved her beloved chihuahua in Barre, Vermont, on Thursday morning. Christina LaRock told NECN that she was out for a walk with her dog Tiny when the bobcat attack occurred. "The cat came around the corner and just latched onto him," she told the outlet. Tenn. Woman, 29, Is Fatally Mauled by Pack of Dogs: 'So Many Wounds That They Could Not Even Count Them' LaRock said she stepped in after the bobcat could not bite through Tiny's harness and was able to pull the little dog away by the pet's leash. The brave owner then fended off the bobcat herself. "I just gave him a good old left hand upside the head, and I think it stunned him enough that he took off," LaRock said. She added, "Don't mess with my little baby Tiny!" LaRock told the outlet that she was grateful that her young son didn't join her for Tiny's walk on Thursday and that she planned to take her dog to the vet to be checked after the attack. North Carolina High School Teacher, 77, Killed After Vicious and Mysterious Animal Attack Following the attack, LaRock posted in a community Facebook group about her experience. "My dog was attacked by a bobcat," she wrote in part. "I was able to scare it off, and me and my dog are ok." Paul Brown, a game warden for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, told NECN that "all indications are that the cat viewed the dog as prey" in this incident. Summer Has Arrived — Here's How to Avoid Animal Attacks & More Warm Weather Health Hazards He added that bobcats are rarely a danger to the public. "Whether we are aware of their presence or not, they are still here and live in our neighborhoods and around our houses," he said. "With very few exceptions, pose no threat to human health or safety." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday. LaRock is still encouraging neighbors to be on the lookout for bobcats. She also filed a report with the Barre City Police Department and spoke to the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife about the incident.