Mountain lion sneaks into house, grabs couple's dog
By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 6, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Bedrooms aren't safe in mountain lion country, not if the doors are left open, an Idledale couple discovered to their sorrow Monday.
A hungry male mountain lion spied an easy meal at their home early Monday and walked right into their bedroom to get it.
The French doors that open to the backyard from the bedroom of the house were ajar and the 130-pound adult cougar entered and grabbed the family's 12-year-old yellow Labrador, authorities said.
Idledale is about 14 miles southwest of Denver, near Morrison in Jefferson County.
It was a scene of domestic bliss, the husband and wife sleeping in the master bedroom and the couple's two dogs also asleep in the room, said Jennifer Churchill, spokeswoman for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
"It was about 4:30 in the morning," she said. "The gal awoke to a sound, got up out of bed and saw something about a foot away from her. She said to her husband, 'There's an animal in here.' "
That's when the mountain lion grabbed the female yellow Labrador and ran out the door.
The lion then displayed typical cougar behavior, eating part of the dog, but then hiding it beneath some pine needles so he could come back and eat the rest later.
The couple agreed to let wildlife officers use the dog's carcass as bait to catch the lion.
"The cougar did come back" and was trapped, Churchill said.
While it's not unusual for a mountain lion to enter neighborhoods to seek an easy meal, the fact that this one went inside a house meant that he likely would be a danger to other residents, she said.
So, Tuesday morning, wildlife officers killed the cougar.
The mountain lion ignored the humans and the other dog in the bedroom, which isn't a surprise, Churchill said.
"When lions go after something, they're pretty single- minded," she said. "They generally zero in on things that are vulnerable. They want what they're going after. They're not distracted by other animals. They kill to eat."
Churchill cautioned people who live in the foothills or elsewhere in mountain lion habitat "to be extra cautious with yourself and your pets."
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Suggest removal
crmass writes:
When I first saw this story, I felt really bad for the residents. But after reading that they left the door open and that's how the mountain lion got in, I can't feel sorry for anyone but the dog. If you leave your door open, it is an invitation for anything to come on in. Let's hope these people have learned a lesson.
Also, for those who don't lock their doors, don't be surprised when you get robbed. Common sense people!! If you don't want strange creatures or people in your house, secure it.