British woman fights off eagle who tried to steal dog in Spain

Updated


British woman fights off eagle who tried to steal dog in Spain
British woman fights off eagle who tried to steal dog in Spain

PA


A British expat living in the Costa del Sol put up a brave fight against an eagle who tried to fly off with her dog this weekend.

Suzanne Dodd, 43, was hiking in the hills inland from Benalmadena when the bird took a fancy to one of her two Jack Russells.

Suzanne told the Daily Telegraph: "Suddenly this enormous bird swooped across the path. With one talon it grabbed her nose and the other her collar and I thought that was it for the dog but it struggled for a moment and I moved in."

The feisty Brit grabbed the bird's wing, and seized the dog from its grip as it attempted to drag it towards the cliff edge.

She added: "I had just a moment to act and grabbed hold of its enormous wing. It turned and bit me but released the dog."

But that wasn't the end of the ordeal; the bird swooped down on the trio "20 times" in an experience that Suzanne called "terrifying".

Miss Dodd, who is an actress and once had a role in EastEnders, said the Golden Eagle was wearing a leather strap and bells, suggesting it may have escaped from captivity.

The Golden Eagle is one of the world's best known birds of prey. It lives across Eurasia, Africa and North America, residing in high places like cliffs and trees.

They have been known to feast on anything from small animals like rabbits, to foxes, wild and domestic cats, mountain goats and even deer and wolves.

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