David Simmons/Courtesy photograph
Amid a string of assaults on pets and livestock, one other Silverthorne resident is reporting an encounter with a mountain lion — although state wildlife officers aren’t so certain what he encountered was a wild cat.
David Simmons lives within the Ptarmigan Mountain neighborhood close to the place Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers have stated they’re monitoring a mountain lion which may be behind latest assaults on pets and goats.
Slightly after 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, Simmons stated he fed Moogley, a blue heeler and pitbull combine, and let the roughly 45-pound canine out. As he circled to go make himself dinner, Simmons stated he heard a loud “cat noise.”
When he doubled again, Simmons stated he noticed a mountain lion pinning Moogley down simply exterior the door. To cease the animal from attacking his pet, he stated he jumped towards it.
“It was a split-second choice — a half second,” Simmons stated. “The one factor I might assume to do is — I took one leap ahead with each my ft … and did as a lot as I might to return downward to get that cat off the canine.”
When Simmons made contact with the creature, he stated it threw him off and he landed on the concrete patio earlier than it dashed off. Upon returning to his ft, Simmons stated he knew Moogley was okay as a result of the canine was standing up taking a look at him.
Moogley had gashes on both aspect of his torso in addition to some scratches by his legs and close to his eye however was handled at an animal hospital, Simmons stated. Calling the encounter “insane,” he stated the entire thing remains to be sinking in.
“I received very fortunate. There was no thought course of there. You understand what I imply?” Simmons stated. “The cat’s received the canine. I’ve one split-second choice. ‘OK, cat, It’s you and I.’”
A day earlier than Moogley was attacked, a mountain lion attacked a canine in Silverthorne neighborhood only a few miles away close to the elementary college on Sunday evening. That pet proprietor reported charging the mountain lion whereas shouting, sending the cat fleeing.
However Colorado Parks and Wildlife district wildlife supervisor Alex Strasser stated the state wildlife company isn’t so sure that the creature that attacked Moogley on Monday evening was a mountain lion. Strasser stated he and one other wildlife officer have been over at Simmons home after the assault however didn’t discover any mountain lion tracks.
Strasser stated they did discover what might be footprints from a coyote or home canine. He stated whereas “it definitely nonetheless is feasible” {that a} mountain lion was behind the assault, one other animal was most likely behind the assault, in his professional opinion.
“It doesn’t appear to be it was a lion,” Strasser stated. “I’m not saying it wasn’t.”
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No matter whether or not a mountain lion or one other creature was behind this most up-to-date assault, pet house owners dwelling within the Colorado Rocky Mountains can take easy steps to guard their beloved animals from wildlife like mountain lions or coyotes.
Folks mustn’t let their pets roam, particularly round nightfall or daybreak, and hold them inside eyesight or — higher but — on a leash, in line with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Pet house owners also needs to not hold pet meals exterior, as this may entice wildlife.
The day after the assault, Moogley is celebrating his seventh birthday whereas recovering on the distillery the place Simmons works. Whereas wildlife officers are not sure what creature attacked Moogley, Simmons stated he isn’t.
“It was a (expletive) cat. We will have that dispute all we would like. (The wildlife official) wasn’t there,” Simmons stated. “I’m nonetheless in shock. I needed to soar on a mountain lion.”
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