Shortly before 3 a.m. on a Sunday morning in May, Greg Gleich of Simi Valley was awoken by an ear-piercing shriek that he immediately recognized.

It came from the backyard and Greg instinctively knew that his family's beloved dog, Jenna, was facing a life or death situation.

Greg rushed downstairs and discovered a grisly scene next to his pool—Jenna, 9-year-old Jack Russell terrier, was bleeding profusely around the neck and a bobcat was trying to drag her away.

Greg managed to scare off the cat and ran to comfort Jenna. He thought he felt a weak heartbeat but he wasn't sure.

By now, the rest of the family was wide awake and swung into action. While Greg and his daughter Lindsay did their best to stop the bleeding, mom Cindy was desperately trying to find a local pet emergency clinic.

The closest one open at that hour was crucial minutes away in Thousand Oaks.

When Jenna was finally seen by a veterinarian, the prognosis was grim. She had a number of severed arteries and had lost a lot of blood.

The Gleichs stayed with Jenna throughout the night and into the next day. They eventually went home to catch up on their sleep.

It wasn't long before the dreaded phone call came.

The vet had done all he could and needed their permission to put Jenna down. After a heartfelt discussion, the Gleichs decided they didn't want her to suffer anymore and reluctantly gave their okay.

Word quickly spread throughout Simi Valley that the popular, longtime residents had lost a family member and condolences began to pour in.

Then the clinic called again. Just as Jenna was about to be to put to sleep, she stood up and even managed to slowly wag her tail.

She was far from healthy but she was no longer at death's door.

Today, Jenna is back home with her family.

She's not totally out of the woods yet and there's still concern about infections. But all signs point toward a full life.

The Gleichs say they've learned several things from their near-tragedy:

1. Always keep the number and directions handy to the nearest pet emergency clinic.

2. Simi Valley needs an animal clinic that's open 24/7.

3. And last but not least: From now on their precious protector will spend her nights indoors. Ken Davis Simi Valley

Davis is a family friend of the Gleichs.