A California woman was saved from a mountain lion attack by her heroic pet dog

• A California woman was taking a walk with her dog when she was attacked by a mountain lion.
• The woman's pet dog, a Belgian Malinois, jumped in to protect her and was badly injured in the attack.
• "My dog is my hero and I owe her my life," she said.

A California woman who was attacked by a mountain lion said her pet dog jumped to her defense to protect her.

Erin Wilson, 24, who lives in Trinity County, in a remote region of northwest California, was walking towards the river when a mountain lion lunged at her and scratched her through her jacket, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Wilson said she called for her dog Eva, a two-and-a-half-year-old 55-pound Belgian Malinois, who jumped in to defend her against the cougar.

"They fought for a couple seconds, and then I heard her start crying," Wilson told the paper. "That's when the cat latched on to her skull."

Wilson tried to separate the mountain lion from her dog by striking the animal with rocks, sticks and her fists, she told the paper.

Eventually, Wilson flagged down a passing driver who helped her beat away the lion by spraying it with pepper spray.

In a GoFundMe for her hero dog, Wilson said that Eva was badly injured in the attack, and was convulsing in the car during the hour-long journey to the vet.

The dog suffered from a fractured skull, a puncture into the sinus cavity and severe swelling around her eye, and Wilson said she is fundraising for the dog's vet bills. She was expected home on Friday.

In her latest update on GoFundMe, Wilson wrote that the dog was doing much better and will likely come home soon.

"My dog is my hero and I owe her my life," Wilson wrote.

Lion attacks on people are rare, with few fatalities in North America in more than 100 years, according to the Colorado Divison of Widllife, who have produced a video: "What do to if you meet a mountain lion."