Chilling screams and howls jolted Andy Rondon from his sleep early Tuesday at his Burbank home.
Frightened and fumbling in the dark before dawn, he followed the sounds to his backyard.
"It was God awful," Rondon said. "Like a screaming, howling. You could tell, like, he got hurt."
Rondon was describing his beloved dog Harlem, a sturdy 10-year-old pit bull who was locked in a scrap with what Rondon said was a wild animal, possibly a mountain lion. Whatever it was, it disappeared by the time Rondon arrived on the scene.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
After the fight in a small space between a shed and concrete wall, Harlem emerged upright and strong, but in rough shape, Rondon said. A veterinarian told Rondon that some of the puncture wounds on Harlem appeared to be bites consistent with those of a big cat, including wounds on the dog's head.
"It locked on to his ear, as well," Rondon said. "Somehow, he got the cat to let go of his head, and at that point he probably locked on to him pretty good."
The California Department of Fish and Wildfire will investigate the backyard encounter. The neighborhood is near the Verdugo Mountains, so a visiting mountain lion would not be surprising, the agency said in an email to NBCLA.
Rondon said he also found large droppings on the roof of the shed that morning.
As for Harlem, he's recovering with antibiotics and received a rabies vaccine.
There are about 4,000 to 6,000 mountain lions in California, but wildlife officials call that a crude estimate without an ongoing statewide study. More than half of the state is considered prime habitat for the big cats, which can be found wherever deer are present.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife receives hundreds of mountain lion sighting reports each year. Few result in mountain lions being identified as posing an imminent threat to public safety, the department said. Mountain lion attacks on humans are extremely rare and their nature is to avoid humans.
Here's a full list of recommendations from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife of what to do during a mountain lion encounter.
- Do not hike, bike, or jog alone. Stay alert on trails.
- Avoid hiking or jogging when mountain lions are most active – dawn, dusk, and at night.
- Keep a close watch on small children.
- Off leash dogs on trails are at increased risk of becoming prey for a mountain lion.
- Never approach a mountain lion. Give them an escape route.
- DO NOT RUN. Stay calm. Running may trigger chase, catch and kill response. Do not turn your back. Face the animal, make noise and try to look bigger by waving your arms, or opening your jacket if wearing one; throw rocks or other objects. Pick up small children.
- Do not crouch down or bend over. Squatting puts you in a vulnerable position of appearing much like a 4-legged prey animal.
- Be vocal; however, speak calmly and do not use high pitched tones or high pitch screams.
- Teach others how to behave during an encounter. Anyone who runs may initiate an attack.
- If a lion attacks, fight back. Research on mountain lion attacks suggests that many potential victims have fought back successfully with rocks, sticks, garden tools, even an ink pen or bare hands. Try to stay on your feet. If knocked down, try to protect head and neck.
- If a mountain lion attacks a person, immediately call 911.
- Report unusual mountain lion behavior to your local CDFW regional office.
