Local News

Bold & Brazen Mountain Lion Takes Family Pet From the Side of a Sleeping Child

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Tony Maples Photography

 

It’s believed that a mountain lion has entered a home in California in the coastal town of Pescadero, California, taking with it a resident’s dog. According to reports by CBS San Francisco, authorities in San Mateo County believe the mountain lion slipped through a set of French doors which were left slightly ajar to let in some fresh air, identifying that the animal believed to be responsible absconded with the dog in question while it was lying next to a sleeping child in the home.

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Photo: Flickr/California Department of Fish & Wildlife

Deputies have identified that a woman, a child, and a 15-pound Portuguese Podengo were all sleeping in a bedroom of the home in the 800 block of Native Sons Road, early Monday morning of April 17, when the incident took place. Happening in the hills just above the town, the area is considered remote and mountain lion sightings have become more common as a result. The French doors, through which it’s believed the mountain lion gained access, were directly off of this bedroom, leading to the outside.

Bold & Brazen Mountain Lion Takes Family Pet From the Side of a Sleeping Child

Photo: Pixabay

The dog, which was sleeping next to the child, began to bark aggressively at approximately 3 a.m. That’s when the woman identified that she saw the shadow of an animal enter the bedroom and take the dog from the bed. In an interview with CBS affiliates, homeowner Victoria Fought stated, “As soon as I saw it walk out, I said, ‘That’s a lion,’” The dog, named Lenora, was a rescue dog, and although blood stains have been found on the door step, these are the only signs that remain of both the intruder or Lenora.

Bold & Brazen Mountain Lion Takes Family Pet From the Side of a Sleeping Child

Photo: Public Domain Pictures

The homeowner is, for obvious reasons, having a hard time believing that a mountain lion could be so bold as to attempt a snatch such as this. After a call was placed to 911, deputies from San Mateo County searched the area and found paw prints which are similar to that of a mountain lion. That was when a local game warden was called in to investigate further. However, without the dog’s carcass, it would be hard to track the mountain lion down, and the game warden isn’t planning to set traps. In the meantime, neighbors have been warned to be particularly cautious of such animals in the area, considering the bold and brazen nature in which this one chose to obtain its prey. Authorities have since contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine whether a follow-up investigation will be necessary. Neighboring states are well advised to keep the public informed of similar instances in their areas, and as with any wild animal, those from Texas through New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada (where mountain lions have been sighted), are well advised to keep their distance and avoid possible opportunity for contact.

Source:

CBS News