dog-springs-action-when-mountain-lion-threatens-family

Dog Springs Into Action When Mountain Lion Threatens Family

When it comes to the bond between a dog and its family, few things can surpass or come in the way of that relationship.

One dog protected its family at all costs when a mountain lion approached them.

Dog Protects Family from Mountain Lion

The mountain lion was roaming around near the family’s home in La Verne, California this past Monday. According to CBS News, a brave pit bull named Rocky came to the rescue. The surveillance footage from the scary occurrence shows as the mountain lion enters the family’s backyard.

You can then hear Rocky start barking before eventually charging after the mountain lion. The dog manages to successfully chase the big cat out of the yard. Rocky chases it all the way up a hill behind the family’s house.

Mary Padres was the first to spot the mountain lion. The two made menacing eye contact, which is what led the family dog to spring into heroic action.

“The mountain lion was looking right at me. It was huge. The whole reason he went after the mountain lion was to make sure I’m OK,” Padres said to the news outlet.

Clearly, the dog was willing to do whatever it took to protect his family, even if that meant getting injured in the process. His humans then returned the favor as well. The family quickly went looking for their dog at night. They eventually found Rocky and carried him back home, despite the risk of the mountain lion emerging and attacking.

The dog has eight large puncture wounds, which required 30 stitches to fix up. He is expected to make a full recovery after the incident.

This area of California has had several mountain lion spottings recently in the past few weeks. The California Fish and Wildlife organization is investigating the entire incident to decide on the next course of action to ensure the town’s safety.

Mountain Lions in Colorado

Depending on where you live, you may need to be especially cautious of bumping into the notorious big cat.

For example, southwest Colorado has had a massive spike in mountain lion sightings this past year. According to The Durango Herald, there were 110 sightings in the southwest region of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife jurisdiction. For reference, in 2020 there were only 72.

There were only five of these sightings that were considered aggressive in nature. This could include any kind of growling or even forcing a hiker off a path. This is because if a big cat lets you see it, typically that means it’s not acting in a defensive or predatory way.

These animals typically stick around anywhere with a decent deer and elk population but tend to be shy and avoid humans altogether. Some of these animals have gotten bolder and more curious, especially if fed by humans.