Golden Retriever Saves Hikers From Mountain Lion

DenverChannel News ^ | 2.5.04

[ambrose]

Golden Retriever Saves Hikers From Mountain Lion Friendly 'Stanley' Charges Until Mountain Lion Climbs Up Tree

POSTED: 8:08 AM MST February 5, 2004

UPDATED: 8:56 AM MST February 5, 2004

LYONS, Colo. -- A trusty golden retriever named Stanley is being hailed a hero after saving his owner and her friend from a mountain lion.

The two women were hiking with their dogs off Highway 7 in Lyons last week when a mountain lion approached. They had noticed tracks in the area but they thought the tracks were old until Betsy Burton spotted an animal out of the corner of her eye.

"I turned to my left and he was right there. About 4 to 6 feet, kind of to the left of me, but behind me. It was this absolutely gorgeous mountain lion," Burton said. "At first I really didn't get it. I saw him and I thought, 'How beautiful.'"

Then the lion spotted Burton and Cindy Kaylan. They say it crouched down and began to growl.

"The lion just kept staring at Betsy and it just seemed like he was going to come after her," Kaylan said. "I felt like running but I knew that wasn't the right thing to do."

Burton then yelled at Kaylan to find a big branch and hold it above her head to make her appear larger.

"You know, that made me act big. We just kept screaming," said Kaylan, who owns Stanley.

"Then all of a sudden Stanley just charged at him, and the mountain lion ran up a tree about 30 feet away," Kaylan said.

They could hear the lion roaring at the dog from the tree.

"About a minute later Stanley came (back). We thought Stanley would be dead or completely bloody but Stanley was fine," Burton said. "What is good about that is Stanley, being as brave as he is, gave us time to do what we're suppose to do."

The Department of Wildlife is monitoring the area. It estimates that the mountain lion the woman confronted weighs about 150 pounds.

A local wildlife expert recommends anyone who wants to hike in mountain lion territory to carry bear Mace. It sprays up to 30 feet and scares the lions long enough for a person to get away.

[brewcrew]

"At first I really didn't get it. I saw him and I thought, 'How beautiful.'"

At that point, he was thinking the same thing about you, Ms. Burton.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

BTW, the smiley in your first post seemed to be directed at the part about the mountain lion, not the part about Goldens.

Just because I'm always surprised at what sets people like you off, please be so kind as to explain one thing to me. My first post was ONE sentence long, with the ;-) at the end. I think most posts that do that have them at the end of the post, paragraph, or sentence. Just how did you determine which sentence fragment my ;-) applied to?

Thank you in advance.

[savedbygrace]

There are people like me? If I had known that, I'd've started an organization and charged membership.

You received several replies, most of them concerning your negative comment about Goldens. You figure it out.

You suggested I work on my humor skills. I suggest you work on your communication skills. Over and out.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

You received several replies, most of them concerning your negative comment about Goldens. You figure it out.

1)Yes. I see there are several humorless, Golden owners.

2) I'm trying to figure it out, but you are not helping. If you would just answer my question concerning your extraordinary ability to discern which sentence fragment I meant the ;-) to apply to, I would be forever grateful. I'm sure it would make me a better person and you would have done a great kindness.

[Issaquahking]

• Sunsong has absolutely no respect for facts.
  
• She insists upon shouting others down.
  
• She plays fast and loose with anything that hits her plate.You march out some name like it was the only thing that mattered -
  
  Steve Nadeau
  Staff Biologist
  Idaho Dept. Fish and Game
  600 S. Walnut, Box 25
  Boise, ID 83707
  Phone: 208-334-2920
  
  The last time something offical was offered up like this, it was called "The Hardy Report" and because it was offical looking, the greenies used the government to try to run the Klamath farmers off the land.
  
• Most likely, she lives in the city and wants to dictate to the rural, of which she seems not to understand at all.
  
• Unlike you sunsong, I was born in the country(Territory of Alaska) and grew up in the country(check my profile, something else for you to attempt to shout down), where the wolves are incredibly damaging to wildlife. I don't need a report to understand wolf damage, I've seen it first hand. So you go ahead and denounce anyone who disagrees with you, and run around defending the wolf. Talk about a greenie is sheep's clothing! I fail to understand how the green logic invades one's headspace.

I doubt that even if you went out and met the people face to face, who have suffered a great burden because of the lopsided thinking you hold dear too, that you would be capable of understanding.

[savedbygrace]

You're just being annoying now, but to "humor" you, here:

If the first part about Goldens had been intended as funny and not true, then the second part, about the mountain lion, would not be funny, because there wouldn't have been ANY element of truth in it. Since you must've thought the post was funny (RE: the smiley), ergo, the first part about the Goldens MUST have been true, at least in your mind.

Now go bother someone else. My good humor has a limit and you blasted right past it some time ago.

[Delphinium]

At first I thought she was just a poor bitter young girl but now I realize that she has an alterior reason for being on FR. And its not to” roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America” .

She is trying hard to prove animal rights point of view. She is still over at.: The Wolf Trap

She has so much in common with sungirl, if she isn’t her she should get to know her, they are like sisters.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Here you go!

http://misswillis.tripod.com/rescues.html

CAT STOPS BURGLAR ATTACK:

We've all heard of a guard dog, but a guard cat? A unique California cat risked his life and paws to rescue his owner from certain harm as he foiled a burglar's break-in attempt.

A cat named Jake was snoozing peacefully on the couch in the wee hours of the morning. His owner, a single lady in her 30's, was asleep in the next room. Suddenly an intruder burst into her bedroom, placed a hand over her mouth, and commanded her not to make a sound.

Without a moment's hesitation Jake came to the rescue. He leaped onto the intruder's back, scratching and clawing with all his might until the burglar could take no more and ran out of the house.
Later on, the police arrested the man identified as the woman's own neighbor. The detectives reported he had tell tale signs of a cat attack - multiple scratches all over his arms and shoulders.
Jake was a hero. Such an aggressive attack by a cat is quite unusual, but it is all the more amazing considering Jake's age. In human years Jake was 21 years old; in cat years that is equal to over 100 years old!

His owner said that when Jake was a kitten, he was always "feisty" and still today "has his moments."

So now all you owners of "feisty" cats, go ahead and put up that sign: "BEWARE OF GUARD CAT." You should never underestimate the courage and ability of your feline companion.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

My good humor has a limit and you blasted right past it some time ago.

Oh good, then my work here is done. ;-)

[isasis]

Sunsong, you should get in the elevator, jump on an airplane and go into the bush before you make such statements about wolves. What animals are the biggest predators in the field? You guessed it- wolves. Yes, they do kill for food but, they also kill for sport. If I were a farmer I certainly would have my 45 aimed at every wolf I could find.

[Sunsong]

Lol, have you ever heard of Carl Jung? Have you ever heard of the shadow? You may do well to study them.:-) Your attempts to "shout me down" will fail. You have provided nothing but extremist propaganda, imo.

"The last time something offical was offered up like this, it was called "The Hardy Report" "

Talk about hysteria! If you look again, you will see that it is not a "report". It is a letter. Do you understand the difference? It is a factual letter. Talk about having no respect for facts! Good grief, do you think you culd possibly practice what you preach?

[Sunsong]

Delphinium, are you capable of any type of debate or argumentation? So far, all you do is lie, make up things about me, make assumptions about me and attack me personally. How very liberal of you!!

[Sunsong]

"What animals are the biggest predators in the field?"

Wolves are predators. I'm glad that we can agree on that. I think they are beautiful and magnificent animals and I realize that they are predators. Imagine that.

"Yes, they do kill for food but, they also kill for sport. If I were a farmer I certainly would have my 45 aimed at every wolf I could find."

But what, you think it is *cool* that humans kill for sport? Wolf kills feed a lot of other animals. A wolf that comes on private property may get shot. But a wolf is part of Nature and belongs in the wild, imo.

[txhurl]

nose bump

[Delphinium]

A wolf that comes on private property may get shot

The penalty for killing an endangered wolf, even in the protection of ones' livelihood, is $100,000 and a mandatory prison sentence.

[Delphinium]

na na na na na

I'm rubber, and you are glue. Everything you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.

[Sunsong]

"I doubt that even if you went out and met the people face to face, who have suffered a great burden because of the lopsided thinking you hold dear too, that you would be capable of understanding."

I am sorry that people suffer. I don't think that the way the wolf was reintroduced was done fairly. But I am also turned off by the extremists who hate wolves and are willing to use as ugly of tactics ( including torture of wolves) as the far left to "get their way".

I would have rather seen wolves reintroduced into Yellowstone only. But that does not change my love for the wolves and for grizzly bears and cougars and other wild and dangerous animals.

I am presenting a different view from yours. I happen to think that wolves can be successfully recovered.

[isasis]

A few years back when I lived in Alaska my father was a big game guide. He, and other guides, would tie guns on to the struts of their super cubs and shoot as many wolves as they could. I do not agree with the slaughter of any animal, but I also do not agree that they should transplant wolves to create havoc with the deer and antelope. I adamantly protest the transplant of wolves so they can slaughter the sheep and cattle of our farmers. If I were a farmer I would shoot, bury and keep my mouth shut.