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A Los Angeles woman was out walking her Shih Tzu at night when a mountain lion attacked her dog
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Laura McVeigh did ‘everything you’re told to do’ to protect her dog Declan from predators
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Declan has been missing since McVeigh saw a mountain lion dragging her dog away on February 23
A California dog was dragged from its home by a mountain lion and remains missing.
According to CBS Los Angeles, Laura McVay, a nurse practitioner in Glendale, California, was taking her little brown Shih Tzu dog Declan out to use the bathroom before going to bed when she suddenly felt a “whooshing” sound coming from behind her. Los Angeles Times. Standing just feet away from her home, McVeigh felt a tug on Declan’s leash and spotted a large predator attacking her dog.
“I grabbed his leash and started screaming,” McVeigh told CBS Los Angeles. “That’s when I realized it was a mountain lion.”
McVeigh did “everything you’re told to do,” including making loud noises, screaming and trying to scare the mountain lion away from her dog, she told reporters. Los Angeles Times. She added that she pulled on Declan’s leash, temporarily forgetting to worry about her own safety, and tried to free her dog from the cat’s grasp, but to no avail.
According to the pet owner, the mountain lion snatched Declan away from McVeigh and then charged down the street toward a nearby hillside.
“I just saw his back, the belt trailing behind him, and that was the last time I saw him,” she added.
Shih Tzu and mountain lion.
Image source: Getty(2)
McVeigh was left shaken and heartbroken for her dog after the “traumatic” and “terrifying” encounter. Her best friend spent the night trying to comfort McVeigh and help her calm down, but she couldn’t shake the sudden, overwhelming sadness.
In the morning, she filed an attack report with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Los Angeles Times. Cort Klopping, a spokesman for the department, told the outlet that the attack was likely caused by a mountain lion, given the description and their prevalence in the area. However, according to a statement from CDFW to CBS LA, “such incidents are rare.”
CDFW urges residents near the Verdugo Mountains (north of Glendale) to avoid walking pets between dusk and dawn. CDFW is warning residents to be extremely vigilant when taking their pets out after dark, as the number of large predators increases this time of year.
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McVeigh told Los Angeles Times She wishes she had just taken her dog to the backyard to use the bathroom, but Declan enjoys taking her nightly walks with her. McVeigh encouraged other residents and pet owners to carry weapons like baseball bats to protect themselves and their animals.
“My Shih Tzu was smart, funny and had a great personality, and everyone loved and adored him,” McVeigh told the outlet. “It’s always hard to lose a dog, but it’s especially hard when it’s a loving soul like his.”
Read the original article on People