Dachshund Scuffles with Snack-Snatching Seagull

Despite living near the beach in Ventura, Calif., pet owner Robin Baer never worried about a seagull attacking her 10-pound dachshund.

“Harley loves to eat his treats on the patio in the sun, but we’ve never had a problem with seagulls before,” said Robin. “For some reason, this one was bold enough, and the two got into a fight over Harley’s food.”  Both Robin and her Rottweiler, Brandy, ran outside when they heard yelps and growls coming from the patio. It appeared that neither Harley nor the seagull would be willing to surrender, until Brandy stepped in and scared the bird away.

“I could tell Harley was injured. He had blood on his nose and some hair missing from around his neck, but he seemed completely unfazed,” said Robin. “He wasn’t shaken up or anything. The seagull was probably bigger than he was!”

Uncertain about how deep or severe the wounds were, Robin rushed Harley to her veterinarian’s office for an emergency visit. When she called to inform them that she was on her way, the staff was in such disbelief, they had to ask twice about what happened. “Even though our vet is located near the beach, no one had heard of a seagull attacking a dog before. He was the talk of the office,” Robin said.

Fortunately for Harley, Brandy intervened just in time. The dachshund had a cut below his eye and a bigger wound on his neck, where Robin believes the seagull tried to pick him up. After some clean up and a couple of stitches from the veterinarian, Harley was able to go home. “He was a little groggy for a few days, but he was back to the patio in no time,” said Robin. “He’s such a trooper and doesn’t seem to be any more afraid of seagulls now than he was before the whole incident.  Regardless, there won’t be any more food on the patio.”

As a long-time advocate of pet insurance, Robin doesn’t hesitate to attribute her pets’ longevity to their comprehensive health care regimen.  “My dogs are 10 years old and they are healthy as can be,” said Robin.  “Having VPI Pet Insurance has made it easy for us to keep up with routine care, like shots and blood work. I really feel that it has prolonged their lives, which is wonderful for me.”