A community is in mourning after a mountain lion killed a beloved pitbull, Gigi. The incident happened in a Los Angeles suburb of all paces. A resident, Rey Constante, reported that she saw the animal attack and kill the dog.
She shared pictures of what appeared to be a mountain lion hanging over the dog in a Facebook post. "This mountain lion is at least 200 lbs and is still roaming the neighborhood, be on guard and do not walk your pets," Constante wrote. "The mountain lion is still roaming around untagged waiting for its next victim, be on guard."
The California Department of Fish & Wildlife hasn't revealed if the animal was tagged. Mark Rulon was the former foster parent for the pitbull. He's the founder of the non-profit Southern California Pit Bull Rescue. In a post, Rulon said he spoke with Constante about Gigi's death. The woman said that she honked and tried to run over the mountain lion. She later checked on the dog and contacted Rulon after finding his info on Gigi's collar.
The dog did not appear injured from the outside. Rulon believes "the mountain lion may have snapped her neck killing her instantly." Meanwhile, Gigi's current owner claims that he was walking with Gigi when the mountain lion attacked. The owner claimed he tried to kick the animal. When that didn't work, he claims he ran for help.
Mountain Lion Kills Dog
"The father's story ... I find unconvincing," Rulon wrote. "The mobile home community they reside in has a small park, which suggests that Gigi was allowed to roam freely when the attack occurred. I fail to comprehend the reason behind walking a pet late at night."
"As humans, it is our responsibility to safeguard our loved ones, and Gigi was failed in this regard.," Rulon added. "She was an exceptionally sweet dog, always eager to shower everyone with kisses. She deserved a better fate."
Rulon went on to describe Gigi as "one of the sweetest dogs we've ever rescued."
"My family is devastated by her loss," Rulon said. "I wish I had been there to protect her. I hold no ill will towards this mountain lion. It's just trying to survive." He also later added, "Gigi was such an amazing little girl that just loved to lick anyone that was within reach of her tongue. Her loss hits extremely hard."
