What was your scariest animal encounter … wild or not

A friend’s Great Dane, Duchess, wasn’t fond of strangers. Despite warnings that she was ‘nice’, she bit me when I visited. Trust the dog’s behavior, not the owner’s reassurances.

Amar said:
A friend’s Great Dane, Duchess, wasn’t fond of strangers. Despite warnings that she was ‘nice’, she bit me when I visited. Trust the dog’s behavior, not the owner’s reassurances.

I can relate. I was attacked by a guard dog at a babysitter’s. Despite being in a supposedly safe environment, the attack was quite traumatic, though I didn’t develop a fear of dogs.

@Blair
That sounds horrific. It’s good that you could overcome your fear.

Amar said:
@Blair
That sounds horrific. It’s good that you could overcome your fear.

Thank you! Having animals in our lives can really enrich them.

At an SPCA, a surrendered black lab panicked due to the noise and attacked when I tried to retrieve it. Thankfully, its owner was there to manage the situation.

Rowan said:
At an SPCA, a surrendered black lab panicked due to the noise and attacked when I tried to retrieve it. Thankfully, its owner was there to manage the situation.

Shelters can be very stressful environments for animals.

Rowan said:
At an SPCA, a surrendered black lab panicked due to the noise and attacked when I tried to retrieve it. Thankfully, its owner was there to manage the situation.

I met a vet who lost part of two fingers to a family’s Labrador during an exam. It was shocking.

A mare with her foal once bit me while I was cleaning her stall. It was a painful lesson to learn.

I once thought I heard a woman screaming outside, so I grabbed a gun for protection. It turned out to be a mountain lion. I quickly retreated indoors!

Journey said:
I once thought I heard a woman screaming outside, so I grabbed a gun for protection. It turned out to be a mountain lion. I quickly retreated indoors!

Mountain lion cries can sound eerily like human screams.

@Teal
It was an absolutely terrifying sound.

A javelina charged at me while I was walking my dogs. They had previously attacked a neighbor, causing serious injuries. Javelinas really dislike dogs.

In Alaska, I encountered a cow moose with calves. The tense standoff ended when she led her calves away, allowing me to retreat, shaken but safe.

A bear once dropped from a tree behind me. My great uncle distracted it with a BB gun, allowing me to escape. It was a narrow escape from a potentially dangerous encounter.

A dog once bit my behind… not a pleasant experience at all.

I once had a scary moment when a coyote stalked my small dogs.

Encountering alligators on the golf course was quite the scare.

Our rescue dog attacked me and my husband unexpectedly. It was a shocking and frightening experience.

Yan said:
Our rescue dog attacked me and my husband unexpectedly. It was a shocking and frightening experience.

What happened? Dogs usually don’t attack without some kind of provocation.

@Teal
I was attacked by a guard dog at a track once. The dog was known to be aggressive due to its abusive owner. It was a terrifying experience that required medical treatment.