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From KNBC Los Angeles
Dog Tosses Self Between Attacking Mountain Lion and Master
By OLSEN EBRIGHT and JACK NOYES
Updated 9:12 PM PDT, Tue, May 5, 2009
Related Topics: Jim Amormino | Big Cats | Mammals | Nature and the Environment | Wildlife
The 5-year-old shepherd mix named Hoagie underwent a four-hour operation and was expected to survive.
A mountain lion Tuesday mauled a dog fending off an attack on his owner, who was walking with his wife on a trail near the Blue Jay campground in the Cleveland National Forest, authorities said.
A dog is mauled. Despite the attack, the dog is expected to survive after defending its owner from a mountain lion.
A later search for the animal by California Fish and Game wardens and others came up empty, said Jim Amormino of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
The black shepherd-mix dog, named Hoagy, was severely injured, but was expected to recover following four hours of surgery at a Riverside County veterinary hospital, Amormino said.
Authorities looked for the cougar, estimated at about 100 pounds, to destroy it because it showed no fear and was trying to attack the man, Amormino said.
"Public safety comes first," Amormino said.
The campground was closed after the attack that took place near the Falcon Crest gate. It was not immediately clear if the search would resume Wednesday and whether the campground would remain closed, Amormino said.
Dog owner William Morse told ABC7 that he, his wife and dog were out for a walk when "out of nowhere a mountain lion just charged us, attacked us, and my dog saved our life, saved me and my wife's life."
Morse and his wife rushed the injured dog to fire station at El Cariso, and from there to the veterinary hospital.
"He just got out of surgery," Morse said. "We got to see him briefly, and he looks like he's going to be OK at this time."
Asked to describe the attack, Morse said the lion "was off to the side."
"I saw him coming in at an angle," Morse said. "He ducked around a restroom. I notice my dog noticed him. At that time he made a charge towards me and my dog met him right there in the middle and saved my life."
The attack was "probably about seven-eight seconds long and it was just a brutal, just a brutal attack," Morse said.
"I'm pretty shooken up still," Morse said. "My dog, Hoagy, is pretty traumatized at this time. And I just don't think I'll ever go back up there to visit the area again, at this time."
Morse said he had visited the area for about 21 years "and I've never ever been attacked."
Morse said he got his dog from an abused animal shelter.
"He's about five years old and just man's best friend," Morse said. "You couldn't ask for a better dog at this time."
While at the animal hospital, Morse said, he got a call from animal advocacy group that will help pay the bill.
"There's going to be a lot of aftercare," he said. "I'm just traumatized. I didn't think he was going to make it. And like I said, I don't think I'll ever re-visit that area again. I'm waiting for the Department of
Fish and Game to meet me and go through the area and they're going to do a little more investigation."
Amormino said that Morse's wife was about 150 yards behind her husband when the mountain lion attacked.
Dog Tosses Self Between Attacking Mountain Lion and Master
By OLSEN EBRIGHT and JACK NOYES
Updated 9:12 PM PDT, Tue, May 5, 2009
Related Topics: Jim Amormino | Big Cats | Mammals | Nature and the Environment | Wildlife
The 5-year-old shepherd mix named Hoagie underwent a four-hour operation and was expected to survive.
A mountain lion Tuesday mauled a dog fending off an attack on his owner, who was walking with his wife on a trail near the Blue Jay campground in the Cleveland National Forest, authorities said.
A dog is mauled. Despite the attack, the dog is expected to survive after defending its owner from a mountain lion.
A later search for the animal by California Fish and Game wardens and others came up empty, said Jim Amormino of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
The black shepherd-mix dog, named Hoagy, was severely injured, but was expected to recover following four hours of surgery at a Riverside County veterinary hospital, Amormino said.
Authorities looked for the cougar, estimated at about 100 pounds, to destroy it because it showed no fear and was trying to attack the man, Amormino said.
"Public safety comes first," Amormino said.
The campground was closed after the attack that took place near the Falcon Crest gate. It was not immediately clear if the search would resume Wednesday and whether the campground would remain closed, Amormino said.
Dog owner William Morse told ABC7 that he, his wife and dog were out for a walk when "out of nowhere a mountain lion just charged us, attacked us, and my dog saved our life, saved me and my wife's life."
Morse and his wife rushed the injured dog to fire station at El Cariso, and from there to the veterinary hospital.
"He just got out of surgery," Morse said. "We got to see him briefly, and he looks like he's going to be OK at this time."
Asked to describe the attack, Morse said the lion "was off to the side."
"I saw him coming in at an angle," Morse said. "He ducked around a restroom. I notice my dog noticed him. At that time he made a charge towards me and my dog met him right there in the middle and saved my life."
The attack was "probably about seven-eight seconds long and it was just a brutal, just a brutal attack," Morse said.
"I'm pretty shooken up still," Morse said. "My dog, Hoagy, is pretty traumatized at this time. And I just don't think I'll ever go back up there to visit the area again, at this time."
Morse said he had visited the area for about 21 years "and I've never ever been attacked."
Morse said he got his dog from an abused animal shelter.
"He's about five years old and just man's best friend," Morse said. "You couldn't ask for a better dog at this time."
While at the animal hospital, Morse said, he got a call from animal advocacy group that will help pay the bill.
"There's going to be a lot of aftercare," he said. "I'm just traumatized. I didn't think he was going to make it. And like I said, I don't think I'll ever re-visit that area again. I'm waiting for the Department of
Fish and Game to meet me and go through the area and they're going to do a little more investigation."
Amormino said that Morse's wife was about 150 yards behind her husband when the mountain lion attacked.
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