Inspiring Dogs of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Surviving a Bobcat Attack

On December 15, 2007, three days after her second birthday, Sydney was badly mauled in a near-fatal attack by a bobcat in the fenced yard at her home in Maine. She underwent two emergency surgeries to save her life and her front left leg. Beating all odds, Sydney survived, but the prognosis for her leg was not good. At best, she more than likely had suffered severe nerve damage and would either walk with a bad limp or drag the leg altogether (which would eventually lead to amputation). Her show days were over as far as everyone was concerned, but she was alive and healthy.

In late January 2008, she was allowed to finally have all of her bandages removed and go out into the yard where she had been attacked more than a month earlier. After a few very tentative steps, Sydney broke out into a full zoom around the yard, finally collapsing in a heap 20 minutes later. Against all odds, she returned to the show ring in September 2008, finishing the year in the top 20 after competing in only nine shows and winning a group along the way. In 2009, Sydney was the winner of multiple groups and group placements and finished the year as the number two Tibetan Terrier bitch and number five Tibetan Terrier overall in the country, earning an invitation to Westminster.