Mountain lions seen by residents in the Iowa City area

Although coyotes and bears are known to frequent neighborhoods that are adjacent to wooded areas, mountain lions are the latest animals to make an appearance in broad daylight. Recently, a number of sightings have been reported in the Iowa City area, according to The Press-Citizen.

Ryan Jacobsen, a 35-year-old living in the area, told officials that he saw a mountain lion run in front of his car while driving his son to school. A resident who lives in the neighborhood that Jacobsen was driving through also made a call to report a similar sighting at the same time.

"I couldn't hardly believe my eyes," Jacobsen told the news source. "I would say it was big. If it didn't have a long tail on the end of it, I would almost think it was a deer, but it had a big long tail on the back. It was impressive."

Another car that was driving adjacent to Jacobsen pulled over, and the drivers said they had seen the cat as well. Wildlife officials say that sightings are not uncommon during this time of year.

Those who want to increase their personal safety against wild animals might want to buy pepper spray. When used properly, it can temporarily blind an aggressive creature and give a person the chance to flee.

Dogs prove to be just as dangerous as coyotes when provoked

It isn't uncommon for people to run the risk of becoming involved in an attack by a wild animal, and many people are unprepared to handle such an incident. Without the right defense tools, individuals may suffer injuries when confronted by an aggressive creature.

Recently, coyotes have made headlines for roaming into populated areas and posing a threat to the public. Although humans are guilty of invading their natural habitat, coyotes are not afraid to come into contact with them, especially when on the prowl. These nocturnal animals are willing to eat anything, including household pets and other small animals native to the area.

In an effort to control the growing population of coyotes in the region, Colorado wildlife officials recently announced that they have killed nine coyotes since July, according to The Denver Post. This comes after a small boy was bitten by a coyote on August 19 while walking down the street with his family. The animal came out of the woods and did not appear to have any definitive reason to bite the child, who had not provoked it.

"Considering that we've had three aggressive incidents in this neighborhood, we were seeing a pattern of behavior that really concerned us," Jennifer Churchill, a local wildlife official, told the news source.

Experts are attempting to control the population through killing these aggressive animals, which appear to be encroaching more and more on neighborhoods in the area.

"We teach our kids the things to do [if they see a coyote], but ... when they're 6 and 7, they're not going to remember that in the moment," Lisa Hrivnak, a mother of children living in the region, told the news source. "So maybe it does make it safer if there are fewer [coyotes] out there."

However, it's sometimes the unsuspecting animals that can cause the most damage to humans. Dogs are commonly referred to as man's best friend, but their natural instincts can come out when their owners least expect it.

This was recently the cause in Stoughton, Massachusetts, when a family dog turned on its loved ones. A 2-year-old was hospitalized after his own pet bit him, according to The Enterprise. Police who arrived on the scene noted that the toddler's injuries were serious, but not life-threatening. He was taken to a nearby hospital for his wounds.

"He's fine," the child's father, who wished to remain anonymous, told the news source. "Thank you for your concern."

Following the incident, Sergeant Paul McCallum reported to The Enterprise that the family does not to intend to keep the dog in the house any longer. The 11-year-old husky is not typically aggressive, according to its owners.

A similar attack recently occurred in South Carolina involving a 10-year-old girl, according to The Associated Press. A child was bitten in the face by a pit bull mix when she walked up to hug it and the animal turned aggressive. Police officers who responded to the scene said that the injuries were not life-threatening, but the girl immediately needed medical attention.

Although the child was not outright provoking the animal, the incident proves that dogs can just as easily turn aggressive as other creatures, such as coyotes. Those who want to increase their personal safety might want to buy pepper spray. When used properly, it can temporarily blind an animal and give an individual the chance to flee the scene. Pepper spray can be especially helpful when improving the safety of small children and elderly adults. 

Springfield boy attacked by a dog after provoking the animal

Dogs are often referred to as man's best friend, but their aggressive animal instincts can come out when they feel threatened, which can instigate them to attack.

This was recently the case in Springfield, Massachusetts, when a dog bit a 12-year-old boy who refused to listen to advice to keep his distance. Francisco Hilson walked onto the dog's property uninvited, according to The Republican. The animal's owner, Bianca Quinones, told the boy to stay behind the gate, but he did not obey her precautionary statement.

"I feel bad for the boy. He got bit," Quinones told the news source. "The kid came into the yard. We told him twice not to come into the yard."

Per city ordinance, a hearing will be held to determine if Quinones' dog is dangerous and needs to be euthanized. The victim's mother alleges the attack was unprovoked. If the dog is deemed safe, Quinones will be required to buy liability insurance in order to keep her pet.

Those who want to increase their personal safety might want to buy pepper spray. When used properly, it can temporarily blind an aggressive dog in the event of an attack. 

Dog bites can be life-threatening to unprepared children and adults alike

Many people consider dogs to be man's best friend, but this can quickly become more of a myth than fact when an animal feels threatened. The natural instincts of dogs can come out when provoked, causing them to attack humans in order to protect themselves. When these type of incidents occur, it's typically unexpected and can result in a number of injuries for the victims.

Oftentimes, people assume that they will never find themselves in such an attack while minding their own business. However, there is typically little that a person can do when an aggressive dog has gotten loose. This was recently the case in Manchester, New Hampshire, when a 43-year-old man was strolling down the sidewalk, according to the Union Leader.

Dwayne Perry told police that he was walking down the street when two pit bulls randomly confronted him and began to attack. Perry suffered wounds to his arms and legs before he was able to run into a nearby restaurant to get away from the animals.

"Apparently the pit bulls escaped 244 Lowell St. and immediately attacked him," police lieutenant Jim Flanagan told the news source.

Upon contacting the owners of the pit bulls that had gotten loose, police found that the animals had no licenses or records of vaccination. They were taken to a local shelter until further information could be found.

Although the incident could have been worse, dog bites are often more severe when affecting small children and elderly adults. It can be more difficult for these individuals to recover from an attack.

Recently, a 6-year-old boy in Tyler, Texas, found himself in the hospital after a neighbor's dog aggressively confronted him in his own neighborhood, according to NBC affiliate KETK-TV. Trevon James was playing in his yard with friends when a nearby dog that had gotten loose proceeded to attack him.

"My arm hurt, then I went to the doctor," James told the news source while recovering at home.

The dog bit James' upper right arm before his father arrived on the scene. He proceeded to wrap his arm in a towel until the ambulance arrived and took James to the hospital. The child received more than a dozen stitches for his injuries, and the police determined that the dog was not up to date on its rabies shots. Animal control officials told the news source that the owners have paid to have the dog euthanized following the incident.

Although James is expected to make a full recovery following the attack, the situation could have been worse if the dog had proceeded to show aggression. The child's father arrived right on time to spare his child, but not everyone can be so lucky.

Many people assume that they could never be the victim of a dog attack, but hundreds of people suffer from similar incidents every year. Most would say that dogs are known to be gentle and friendly creatures. However, their animal instincts can come out when provoked, and it's not uncommon for people to be unprepared in these instances. This can result in life-threatening injuries in a matter of minutes.

Those who want to increase their personal safety might want to purchase pepper spray. When used properly, it can temporarily blind an animal and give a victim the chance to flee for help. Although many people think they might not need it, it's best to be prepared in the event of a violent attack, whether by a dog or a wild animal.