Cats might have nine lives — but this Arizona wildcat only had one.
A dog owner was forced to shoot and kill an aggressive cougar that attacked him and his pup twice during their nightly walk in a residential Arizona neighborhood, according to wildlife officials.
The man was walking his dog around 10 p.m. last Sunday in Buckeye, about 30 miles west of Phoenix, when, without warning, a cougar pounced on the dog, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
The frantic dog owner ran to his pet’s aid and began kicking the large mountain lion off his dog. He was successful at first, managing to fend off the snarling predator, but the cougar did not give up, officials said.
As the man and his beloved pet made their escape, the cougar continued to track them, according to wildlife officials and reports.
As they were trying to get to the safety of their home, the cougar attacked again. This time, the dog owner pulled out a gun and shot the beast to death.
“When it got close for a second time, the resident shot and killed the lion,” the department said.
Wildlife officials responded to the scene and hauled the cougar’s carcass away. The dog only had minor injuries and the owner was unharmed, according to wildlife officials.
Officials did not issue a citation for the killing of the giant cat because they considered the shooting self-defense.
According to the wildlife agency, Mountain lions are not considered an endangered species in Arizona and are found throughout the state.
The “elusive creatures” are known for their “cryptic nature,” according to Local 12, and usually avoid densely populated areas.
But that didn’t stop one from getting trapped in the courtyard of a medical complex in nearby Tucson last summer, the local station reported. Police officers and wildlife officials responded to the hospital and shot it with a tranquilizer dart.
Since it wasn’t acting aggressively, that cougar was fitted with a tracking collar by wildlife officials and released back into the wild.
Two years ago in Prescott, a couple hours to the north of Buckeye, wildlife officials from the Arizona Game and Fish Department shot and killed a cougar that attacked a dog playing in a backyard. Officials believed it was the same animal that had killed three dogs and injured four others in the weeks leading up to the shooting.
In February 2024, The Post published a shocking Ring camera video of a 3-year-old schnauzer named Holly Jolly that fought off a cougar and somehow lived to see another day.
While cougar attacks on humans are rare, urban sprawl increases the likelihood of encounters, according to the University of Arizona.
“We must realize the valuable role mountain lions play in native ecosystems and the relatively low threat they pose to humans. While uncommon, some attacks on humans have been fatal,” the university said. “If you encounter a lion, do not run. Face the lion and slowly back away, leaving an escape route. You should also try to appear larger by raising your arms over your head. You may also throw rocks and sticks as long as you can avoid crouching down.”
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