A Man Of Action
Dale Rippy of Wesley Chapel, Florida is a man of action. He was sitting on his porch, minding his own business when a visitor dropped by. Not just any visitor, either. His "guest" was a 25-pound rabid bobcat. Rippy endured the cat's vicious attack long enough to wait for his opening. Then he grabbed the cat's throat and choked it to death.
Rippy, 62, endured the bobcat's slashes and bites until it clawed into a position where he could grab it by the throat.
Then he strangled it.
Rippy said it was clear the crazed bobcat had to be stopped.
"I was bleeding everyplace," the Vietnam veteran said of the May 30 attack. "If that cat had attacked a child, it would've been really bad. It wouldn't have quit."
Rippy's neighbors in this suburb 25 miles northeast of Tampa called for help. Tests showed the dead bobcat was rabid. Rippy was treated for exposure to rabies, and several bites and cuts.
Authorities praised Rippy for clear thinking under pressure.
Heck, yeah, he deserves praise. If the bobcat had attacked children or others not able to handle the situation, it could have been a lot worse. And if he had merely driven the cat away, it is quite likely someone else would have been attacked. A tip of the hat to Mr. Rippy for a job well done.
By BubbaB, Thursday, 21 June , 2007 @ 11:40 am
If you can get an attacking dog (for example, a pit bull) on its side or its back, your best bet is to choke them. It is one of their Achilles heels…