“They go for your jugular because when they can get the vein you’re dead in a couple of minutes.”
HART COUNTY, Ga: 46-year-old grandmother DeDe Phillips is being treated for possible rabies exposure after being attacked by a rabid bobcat.
Onlineathens.com reports the attack happened shortly after DeDe had applied a “Women Who Behave Rarely Make History” bumpersticker to her truck. She was walking out of her house to take a picture of the new sticker to send to her husband when she saw the sickly looking cat and took a picture of itThe rabid bobcat before the attack:
“My neighbor’s dog was barking and it drew my attention.I saw the cat and I took a picture. The cat took two steps and was on top of me. … It came for my face.”
This bobcat went for her upper body:
“It caught me slightly on my face, but I got him before he could do much damage there. I took it straight to the ground and started inching my hands up to its throat. I knew that was the only way I was getting out of this.”
Grandma DeDe began silently applying pressure to the rabid animal’s neck, not wanting to create any commotion that would draw her 5-year-old granddaughter out of the house and expose her to the dangerous animal.
“I was scared if I screamed for help that my granddaughter would come out and I didn’t want that to happen. Once I got him where he wasn’t moving I started screaming for my daughter-in-law to call 911.”
Her son came before Hart County deputies arrived and confirmed the animal was dead:
“My son stabbed it four or five times, but it never budged so I knew it was completely dead.”
An ambulance was on scene but Phillips opted to drive herself to a hospital. She learned the next day the bobcat was rabid. A Fundly page has been set up to cover her rabies exposure treatments. To contribute please GO HERE.
FUNDLY: DeDe was attacked by a Bobcat that tested positive for rabies and now has to have treatments to keep herself safe. The shots are around $10,000 each set and she needs at least 4 more. As we all know money doesn’t grow on trees, so Im asking on behalf of her and her family that you donate anything that you can! She is a lady who would give you the shirt off her back and will drop whatever she is doing to come help! I know because she has for me! She loves hard and is one heck of a woman! She is also having to go to a orthopedic doctor about her hands. She currently has very little use of them and is in a lot of pain. She doesn’t have insurance so this is all going to cost a lot! So if you are able please help! We also appreciate all the prayers we can get.