Mountain lion kills two pet dogs in Yucaipa backyard, family says

A Yucaipa family says that two of their beloved pet dogs were killed by a mountain lion in broad daylight over the weekend. 

Roger Schultz says he and his wife were out of town on Saturday and that their two dogs, Summer and Winter, were in their indoor-outdoor enclosure when the attack occurred. He says that he saw one of the dogs looking up the hill behind their home earlier in the day, but wrote it off as a quail. 

After checking the live camera in their yard several times, thinking that they were sleeping, he realized that after hours had passed, something was wrong. 

"Checked on them again and was like, 'They're not moving.' So, I had the neighbor come up," Schultz said. 

The neighbor found both of the dogs dead.

"It was mauled pretty bad; it looks like they fought together right near the fence line," Schultz said. "Mountain lions usually avoid large dogs, and to have two of them, we thought they'd be OK."

Unfortunately, Summer, a 65-pound Anatolian Shepherd, and Winter, a 90-pound Siberian Husky, were no match for the puma. By the time they returned home, the mountain lion had returned.

"The cat came back and took the shepherd's body over the five-foot fence," Schultz said, noting that their security video captured the moments when the big cat dragged the dog across the yard. "It looked about the size of the shepherd, but obviously very muscular with fighting features, with the claws and the feet."

He used the tracker in Summer's collar to follow the trail, finding the big cat's lair about 150 yards behind their yard. He says that with so many children in their neighborhood and other family pets, it's too dangerous for nothing to be done. 

"There's small kids that we see walking with their parents," he said. "Kids will run out 50, 100 feet ahead of them on the walks. So, that's why I'm really worried."

California Department of Fish & Wildlife officials say that the behavior isn't unusual for a mountain lion, but noted that they would be investigating to make sure that the incident isn't part of a larger pattern or problem. 

"The department recommends residents take preventative measures to protect their pets and livestock from predators," said a statement from a CDFW spokesperson. "Some steps residents can take are supervising pets when outdoors, especially at night, and providing a secure enclosure for pets that are outside."

Mountain lions are a common sight for people living in parts of Southern California, especially near hillsides. In February, a Los Angeles County woman was on a night walk with her dog in Glendale when they were attacked and the mountain lion ran off with her dog. 

Schultz said that officials told him that since he tracked the collar to a spot so close to their home, and a place where children walk, they're going to escalate the investigation. 

"Hopefully, this tragedy makes everyone aware that we're not in a safe environment from nature," he said. "We're living in their space."