GRAND LAKE, Colo. (KDVR) — Wildlife officials euthanized a mountain lion in Grand Lake after the latest of multiple attacks on dogs in the area.
It happened this week after the mountain lion grabbed a dog off someone’s front porch, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Wildlife officers followed tracks into the snow to find the mountain lion in a tree near the home.
“Based on information about the incident from the dog owner, the wildlife officer determined there was a threat to human health and safety and made the decision to euthanize the mountain lion,” CPW said in a news release.
The female mountain lion was estimated around 1-and-a-half to 2 years old.
3 dogs attacked by mountain lions around Grand Lake
In this incident, the dog and its owner were coming home from a walk around 10 a.m. when the mountain lion lunged and grabbed the dog from the porch steps, CPW said. The dog’s owner scared the mountain lion away, but the dog was hurt and taken to a veterinarian.
Another two mountain lion attacks were reported recently in the same area west of Shadow Mountain Reservoir.
In one instance, a mountain lion grabbed a dog that was let out of a home around 10 p.m. on Dec. 19. The dog’s owner heard a noise and opened the door on the mountain lion, “causing it to drop the dog and run off,” CPW said. The dog was hurt but survived.
Another dog was not so lucky. On Jan. 19, a mountain lion killed a dog as it returned from a walk with its owner.
“The dog was off leash, in close proximity behind the owner, when a female adult mountain lion (around 7 years) grabbed the dog from under a porch,” CPW said.
The dog owner’s husband shot and killed the mountain lion after efforts to scare it off did not work.
“After investigating, the responding wildlife officer determined there was a threat to human health and safety and did not ticket the dog owner,” CPW said.
Protect your dog from mountain lions
CPW reminds the public that “it is important that mountain lion sighting reports are made in a timely matter.” But people can take steps to reduce the risk of encountering one at all.
CPW provided these tips:
- Keep a close eye on your pets and never leave them out overnight.
- If you must let your pet out between dusk through dawn when mountain lions are most active, check the area and make your presence known by turning lights on and making noise before letting your pet out. The goal is to make a mountain lion feel as uncomfortable and unwanted as possible so they will leave.
- When walking your dogs, keep them leashed until you enter your home. Roaming pets are easy prey and can attract mountain lions.
- Talk with your children about mountain lions and what to do if they see one.
- Closely supervise children whenever they play outdoors, especially during dusk-to-dawn hours and teach them to be SMART if they have a close encounter with a mountain lion.
- If you see a mountain lion, haze it away from your property by making loud noises: setting off your car alarm, banging pots and pans together, blowing a whistle or air horn, etc.
- Do not feed wildlife and remove bird feeders. Do not feed pets outside.
- Haze away deer and raccoons, which attract mountain lions.
To report a mountain lion sighting or get more information, call the local CPW area office. For after-hours emergencies, call Colorado State Patrol or the local sheriff’s office.
