NEED TO KNOW
A Los Angeles woman was out walking her Shih Tzu at night when a mountain lion attacked the dog
Laura McVay did “everything you’re told to do” to protect her dog Declan from the predator
Declan has been missing since McVay saw the mountain lion dragging her dog away on Feb. 23
A California dog is still missing after it was dragged away from its home by a mountain lion.
Laura McVay, a nurse practitioner in Glendale, Calif., was taking her small, brown Shih Tzu named Declan out to use the bathroom before bed when she felt a “whoosh” from behind her, per CBS LA and the Los Angeles Times. Standing just feet away from her home, McVay felt a tug on Declan’s leash and discovered a large predator was attacking her dog.
“I pulled his leash and started screaming,” McVay told CBS LA. “At that time, I realized it was a mountain lion.”
McVay did “everything you’re told to do,” including making a lot of noise, screaming, and trying to scare the mountain lion away from her dog, she told the LA Times. She added that she tugged at Declan’s leash, temporarily forgetting to fear for her own safety as she tried to free her dog from the cat’s grip — but to no avail.
The mountain lion ripped Declan away from McVay and dashed up the street and into a nearby hillside, according to the pet parent.
“I just saw the back of him, with his leash trailing behind him, and that was the last time I saw him,” she added.
Shih Tzu and mountain lion.
Credit: Getty (2)
After the “traumatic” and “scary” encounter, McVay was deeply shaken and heartbroken for her dog. Her best friend spent the night trying to console McVay and help her calm down, but she couldn’t shake the immense and sudden grief.
In the morning, she filed an attack report with California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, per the LA Times. A spokesperson for the department, Cort Klopping, told the outlet the attack was likely caused by a mountain lion, given the description and the animal’s prevalence in the area. However, per the CDFW’s statement to CBS LA, “incidents like this are rare.”
The CDFW urged residents near the Verdugo Mountains (in northern Glendale) to avoid walking their pets between dusk and dawn. The CDFW cautioned residents to be extremely vigilant when out with their pets after dark, due to the increased presence of large predators during this time of the year.
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McVay told the LA Times that she wished she had just taken her dog to her backyard to use the bathroom, but Declan loved going on his nightly walks with her. McVay is encouraging other residents and pet owners to carry a weapon, such as a baseball bat, to protect themselves and their animals.
“My Shih Tzu was a bright light and just fun and funny and had a great personality, and everyone loved and adored him,” McVay told the outlet. “Losing a dog is always hard, but when it’s such a sweet soul like he was, it’s especially hard.”
Read the original article on People