Colorado Dog Saved After Mountain Lion Drags Him From Backyard
On Saturday, January 27, dog owners Shawne and Shannon Leach heard a 'odd yelp' coming from the backyard after they let their 14-month-old Australian shepherd and black-mouth cur mix named Furgus outside.
When Shannon went outside with a flashlight to investigate, he found blood in the snow. What happened next is basically the plot of a man-versus-nature TV show.
The Summit Daily reports, "The snow was close to 2 feet deep, so forging a path was difficult. Shawne Leach had a flashlight and began to crawl to move over the snow more easily. Meanwhile, her husband, equipped with a handgun, trudged through the snow behind her."
Related: Cat Faces Off with Mountain Lion After It Approaches the Family Home
The couple tracked the cat through their backyard, across the Snake River, which was frozen, and to the edge of the golf course.
Furgus was luckily wearing a collar that emitted a green light and the couple found him in the snow looking like "he was ready to be put in a coffin."
The couple said even if Furgus was dead, they weren't about to let the mountain lion eat him.
The article continues, “I (shouted) back to Shannon, ‘Furgus is still alive. We’ve got to save him,'” Shawne Leach said. “I’m yelling at Shannon, ‘Shoot it! Shoot it!’ That thing (had) its mouth open and (was) hissing at me.”
Shannon Leach fired a shot into the ground. But the mountain lion didn’t move, Shawne Leach said. So, he fired another shot, this time in the direction of the cat — sending the predator fleeing into the night."
What an absolutely harrowing ordeal! This dog's owners are just absolutely amazing. Most of us would have been terrified! Furgus was brought to the veterinarian where it was determined he had an injury which caused him to lose an eye but he has been recovering.
How To Protect Yourself From a Mountain Lion
The article also contains helpful tips for what you should do if you do encounter a mountain lion or cougar. Those who encounter a mountain lion should talk calmly yet firmly to the lion and make eye contact with it while backing slowly away. Running may stimulate a mountain lion’s instinct to chase and attack, the state’s guide for living with lions says.
To appear larger to the lion, stand on a rock and open up your jacket, placing any object you have between yourself and the predator. If the lion behaves aggressively, throw stones or branches at it. Do not crouch or bend over, because doing so makes you appear like four-legged prey to these big cats. If you are standing upright, you are more intimidating.
If you live in an area that has mountain lion sightings, never let your pet outside unattended and keep them on a short leash when taking them on a walk.
Thank goodness Furgus is safe! His owners are so amazingly brave.
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