A Labrador in Cedar Hills, Utah, fought off a predatory lion on July 19 in order to protect his family, according to KSLTV News. Although seriously injured, the dog lived to tell the tale.
While Crystal Michaelis and her kids were playing in the backyard, Ella, a 7-year-old yellow lab, noticed a mountain lion. Michaelis has not seen the mountain lion, but she notices Ella acting strangely and glancing back and forth from the children to the area where the mountain lion was hiding.
Michaelis stated that she continued to turn her head to stare at the children before quickly turning her head away. She was just being careful, and my daughter was worried.
After some time, Michaelis brought her children inside. The damage to Ella's head, face, legs, tongue and neck as they returned to the patio door was significant. We opened the back door to find Ella completely covered in blood. According to Michaelis, "the door and the patio were stained with blood".
Footprints of mountain lions were found leading to the spot, though the family was not present during the conflict, according to the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources. Wildlife authorities believe the mountain lion may have been preoccupied with some nearby goats in a neighbour's yard when it approached Michaelis' house closely.
After defending her family from a mountain lion in Cedar Hills, 7-year-old Ella sustained injuries to her head, neck, legs, and tongue in addition to 30 bites on her body.
Mountain lions have not been spotted recently, according to the Utah DWR, but locals have been urged to be careful and vigilant. They've also seen deer move through this area, and since deer are the cougars' primary food source, they frequently follow deer wherever they go, according to DWR Public Relations Officer Faith Jolly.
About 30 bites, all starting on Ella's shoulders, she took. Meaning she kept her defensive stance and never gave up, Michaelis told the press. Ella must fully recover from her wounds despite their presence.
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