Mountain Lion Killed After It Attacked, Partially Ate Pet Dog

A hunter in Idaho killed an adult mountain lion after it attacked a pet dog and partially ate it.

A neighbor of the dog’s owner first spotted the remains of the mixed breed German Shepherd cached behind the latter’s home a few miles south of Cascade. The neighbor alerted the owner as well as the Valley County Sheriff.

Officials from Idaho Department of Fish and Game said the mountain lion attacked the pet late Friday. Officers at the department, Marshall Haynes and Chris Rowley, brought along a hunter with a valid mountain lion tag, and a houndsman. They tracked down the animal a short distance from the attack area. The hunter then killed it, East Idaho News reported.

Officials said the mountain lion was a healthy young adult with a few porcupine quills on its muzzle and the head region. The wildlife officials said it could be from the porcupines the animal usually targets.

Mountain lions are there aplenty in the forested areas of Idaho but they rarely emerge near human habitats. However, human safety is also at risk when they choose to prey on domestic pets, according to the department. It said it handles such cases “very seriously.”

In December, a mountain lion appeared in a driveway of a Western Nebraska home. The homeowner recorded a chilling video of it walking toward the front door. The owner warned fellow residents to remain vigilant while letting their pets to roam outside.