A Colorado family is grateful to have their dog by their side after a traumatic encounter with a mountain lion put her life in danger.
Charlie Allen let his three-year-old Boxer/Labrador mix named Maeby outside after dark like he does most nights. Only a few seconds after he closed the door, he heard the sound of his dog in trouble. There were yelps and snarls, and he and his family didn’t hesitate to take action.
The family’s surveillance camera caught the dramatic incident and shows what happened when Maeby left the safety of the porch. Out of camera range, Maeby was surprised to find a large mountain lion. The big cat attacked, and Maeby was forced to fight for her life. If it wasn’t for the quick action of her family, she might not have survived.
Within seconds of hearing her cry, three family members ran outside carrying a shovel and a flashlight. Maeby’s fight with the big cat didn’t last long—about 35 seconds according to an interview with local news—and Allen was able to distract the attacker long enough for his dog to get away. The surveillance video then shows Maeby running back into the house with one of her rescuers close behind.
With Maeby safe, albeit injured, Allen tried to shoo the predator off his property with a flashlight. The video shows the cat slinking away, but it didn’t seem phased by either the fight with the dog or the man with the flashing light.
When the commotion died down and the mountain lion was gone, Allen got Maeby to the vet. They found several deep puncture wounds, but against the odds, the traumatized dog suffered no life threatening injuries. She was bandaged and spent the next few days recovering from her ordeal. Allen told Fox 31,
“We’re very thankful, she put up a good fight. A 35-second round with a mountain lion, to come out the way she did, like I say, we’re really thankful.”
Area residents have been alerted, and they’re on the lookout for a big predator wandering the neighborhood. It might be awhile before Maeby ventures into her dark yard alone again, but her family will always be there to protect her.
Featured image screenshot via Fox31
h/t: Fox 31
via Whisker Therapy