California Cat That Chased Off Attacking Dog Gets Baseball Invite

[May 19, 2014]  By Jennifer Chaussee
 
 (Reuters) - Tara, the California cat that became a YouTube sensation after being caught on video saving a boy from a dog attack, has been invited to “throw” the first pitch at a minor league baseball game, Bakersfield Blaze officials said on Friday.

Video footage showed a dog dragging 4-year-old Jeremy from his tricycle in a driveway in Bakersfield. YouTube video: http://r.reuters.com/hyt39v

Tara, the family's cat, ran to the rescue, broadsided the dog, and chased it away from the child. She then returned to the boy.

“Thankfully, it wasn’t worse," the child's father, Roger Triantafilo, wrote in a posting with the video. "My son is fine."

Local minor league baseball team the Bakersfield Blaze has invited the cat, assisted by the Triantafilo family, to throw the first pitch at a May 20 game.

"We will be attempting to have her throw out the first pitch. Now, how that goes off, we'll see, but the idea is to have her pitch the ball," said Philip Guiry, assistant general manager for the Blaze. Jeremy will also pitch a ball.

The dog, described as an 8-month-old Labrador-Chow mix, is scheduled to be euthanized four days after the game, according to Bakersfield police.

The Triantafilo family could not be reached for comment.

(Editing by Cynthia Johnston, Toni Reinhold)

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