Dog owners in La Verne, California, received a major scare after their dog Holly Jolly was attacked by a mountain lion.
Holly’s owners, Steve and Nicole, were watching a movie when a cougar attacked the three-year-old dog in their backyard on February 10.
‘We heard a howl and my husband said, “Is that Holly?” and I said, ‘No, I think it’s TV,’ and he said, ‘No, I think it’s Holly,'” Nicole explained.
The cougar disappeared after attacking the giant schnauzer, frightened by the home’s residents who came to its pup’s rescue, but returned 20 minutes later to look for Holly.
Holly was safe and inside her home when the cougar returned and is expected to recover from her injuries.
A three-year-old schnauzer named Holly Jolly was attacked by a mountain lion in her owner’s backyard on February 10.
His owners, Steve and Nicole, were watching a movie at the time of the attack. Steve assumed that the moans he heard were from the movie he and Nicole were watching.
Steve and Nicole chased away the cougar yelling and screaming, and took Holly back to her house after the attack.
Steve and Nicole are aware that they live near many wild animals, including mountain lions.
However, it was the first time a mountain lion had approached Holly.
The cougar pounced on Holly around 9:00 pm and began fighting and biting her.
Holly moaned during the fight, which Steve and Nicole could hear from inside their house.
The owners began yelling and screaming, which scared the cougar and allowed Holly release and flee.
“I was imagining myself as a skunk or something that she was just playing with, so I went in and grabbed a gun,” Steve said.
Although the dog managed to flee the scene, it received multiple injuries from the attack.
The cougar quickly pounced on Holly and began biting her in several areas near her face.
Holly received treatment from a veterinarian for various injuries, including scratches and puncture wounds.
‘She had surgery. She had a lot of puncture wounds, a lot of stitches,” Nicole said. ABC 7. “They said there was a lot.”
Despite Holly’s injuries, Steve and Nicole insisted that their dog is fine and “she’s a fighter.”
“She’s enjoying all the extra love, all the extra treats, all the extra attention; she’s loving it right now,” Nicole said.
Steve and Nicole now urge their neighbors to keep their eyes open for any wildlife that could harm humans or pets.
Holly received multiple injuries and required surgery. However, it appears that she is expected to recover.
“We wanted all our neighbors to know… If this thing comes out, it will be bold enough to jump into yards and attack a dog almost its size,” Steve said.
Steve will now escort Holly to the backyard to make sure she is safe.