Ring Camera in Southern California Catches Mountain Lion Attacking a Beloved Family Dog
After undergoing one of the worst things a pet parent could ever experience, dog owners Steve and Nicole are just glad that their beloved Giant Schnauzer, Holly Jolly, is still with them. The La Verne, California, couple were forced to intervene and save Holly Jolly's life after the beloved family dog was attacked by a mountain lion in her own backyard.
The couple's Ring camera captured the entire disturbing attack on video, along with a concerning follow-up some time later after the dog was rescued. Be advised, while this clip edits out the more graphic segments of the attack, pet owners may find the following footage upsetting:
Even though Holly Jolly's parents still can't bring themselves to watch the Ring camera footage, they shared the video with @abc7la to alert their neighbors and warn other Southern California pet owners. According to KTLA News, the couple were watching TV when the attack happened, and it took them a minute to realize that the growling and fighting noises weren't coming from their TV, but from their backyard.
When the couple ran out to the yard, they were met with a horrific sight: their beloved three-year-old Giant Schnauzer, locked in a life-or-death battle with a hungry mountain lion. Chris bravely ran outside, grabbing a pool skimmer and shouting at the mountain lion. His distraction startled the mountain lion, giving Holly Jolly just enough time to break free and run for safety. Her owners rushed her to the vet as the puma crept out of the backyard.
In a disturbing twist, though, the Ring camera picked up the mountain lion returning to the backyard not 20 minutes after the attack. In it, the big cat can be seen sniffing the ground and Holly Jolly's collar, wondering where its meal had gone.
Fortunately, Holly Jolly's parents successfully saved the poor pup. Despite needing surgery for her numerous puncture wounds and slashes, she survived her terrifying mountain lion attack and is now well on the road to recovery.
"She's enjoying all the extra love, all the extra treats, all the extra attention," Nicole told KTLA News.
Pet Safety in Mountain Lion Territory
The attack happened sometime over the weekend, around the same time that a mountain lion was spotted prowling past homes in Lake Elsinore, a SoCal town in Riverside County about an hour south of La Verne. Though mountain lions tend to avoid close contact with humans, they may pass through neighborhoods within their territory, and are known to attack dogs.
To prevent your pet from being attacked, don't let your dog out alone at night in mountain lion territory, especially if mountain lions have been spotted in your neighborhood, and take extra care if you walk your dogs at night. If you encounter a mountain lion, the National Park Service recommends backing up slowly without tuning or running, making yourself look bigger by raising your arms and opening your jacket, and making loud noises if the big cat becomes aggressive.
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