They are protected from hunting. This was not hunting.
Yes, I understand. But how many women have been killed since they’ve become protected? I’ve heard that adult men are just big enough to deter most mountain lion attacks, but women seem to fall into the mountain lion’s “I can take that” size.
Also, every state allows humans to defend themselves or other people from wild animals—even protected ones, but I don’t know that one is legally allowed to use deadly force to protect one’s pet.