Abby Smyers Shares Her Husband Dan Smyers Had to Protect Their Dogs from an Angry Momma Deer

The moms of the animal kingdom don't mess around.

Dan and Abby Smyers discovered this during a recent encounter with a mother deer and her baby. Abby, an animal rescue advocate, shared the story on July 10's episode In The Vet's Office with Dr. Josie Horchak, a podcast from iHeartMedia & Bobby Bones' Nashville Podcast Network.

Abby recounted the story to veterinarian Dr. Horchak, a friend of the couple who helped them through the ordeal.

In the podcast episode, Dr. Horchak helped Abby start the story by talking about the time Abby contacted her about a newborn baby deer she found in the front yard.

At the time of the call, the deer's mom was nowhere in sight, so Dr. Horchak advised Abby "to stand vigil" over the baby deer until help arrived.

The fawn "did not need any saving, I learned," Abby said in response before revealing what happened next.

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While keeping an eye on the baby deer, Abby let her dogs outside to use the bathroom.

"They had no idea the deer was there. No big deal. I have been watching this thing all day like it's my own child," Abby said of the circumstances.

The newborn deer's mom disagreed. The podcast's video recording includes a clip of the shocking wildlife encounter captured on security cameras from the Smyers' home.

In the clip, a deer leaps over a high fence into the yard and starts charging at the Smyers' dogs. In response, Dan — half of the country-pop duo Dan + Shay — runs outside and tries to chase the mother deer away from the couple's dogs. After slipping on the grass, Dan manages to direct the deer away from the dogs.

"He won dog dad of the century for me," Dr. Horchak said of Dan's reaction to his dogs being in danger.

Abby also used her time on the podcast to give an update on her dog Joy's health. Joy was diagnosed with cancer after Abby found a lump on the pet's tail and brought her to the vet. Since her diagnosis, Joy has had multiple surgeries to remove the cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy to prevent the cancer from returning.

Both Abby and Dan are known for their dedication to animals. In March 2021, the couple took in Missy, a senior dog with health issues.

"Emaciated. No teeth. All alone and terrified at the shelter 💔. We weren't going to let her live the rest of her life like that," Dan wrote about the senior pooch on Instagram in March 2021.

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In May 2021, the couple announced Missy had died and expressed their deep love for the dog.

"We knew when we adopted her at age 16 with terminal cancer that our time together would be limited, but it's still never easy saying goodbye to a loved one," Dan shared on social media in May 2012.

"She was safe in our arms as she left us peacefully, and for that, we are grateful," he added.