When Chanida Fetter heard a growl on the deck of her Placerville, Calif., home late Wednesday evening, she didn’t think much about it — until she heard Tiki, her 7-year-old Shepherd-Terrier mix, let out a cry.
Chanida looked outside and, to her horror, saw a mountain lion snatch Tiki and carry her toward the woods. Screaming, Chanida woke up her husband, Kirk.
Wearing only his underwear, Kirk bolted outside, sprinting toward the mountain lion.
“All I saw was a big old long tail. First instinct was to save my dog,” he told FOX40.
Chanida threw some buckets and other objects at the mountain lion as Kirk chased it. “She completely freaked out when I was down here because the mountain lion didn’t let go until I was right on top of it,” Kirk told KCRA.
Kirk was able to pry Tiki from the mountain lion’s mouth.
The incident took less than 40 seconds, Kirk told FOX40. Because of the adrenaline pumping through his veins, he said he felt no fear.
Chanida told FOX40 she saw the mountain lion stare at her husband for a second or two before it retreated into the woods.
Since there is no emergency animal hospital near their home, the Fetters’ neighbor hand-stapled the six puncture wounds on Tiki’s neck, ear and stomach.
The Fetters took her to the vet the next morning. The lucky dog going to be okay.
Tiki has been part of the Fetter family ever since she was a puppy. “It’s a family member. You got to save your family,” Kirk told FOX40.
It’s very unlikely that Tiki will ever be left alone again on the deck at night.
“It’s that time of year that deer are coming down off the mountains and mountain lions are following them,” Kirk told KCRA.
“Keep your pets in at night and watch your children at dusk.”
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