The Ryan family, of Arriola, had a fright Friday night when a mountain lion attacked and killed their pet goat.
Family members witnessed the attack, said the father Daniel Ryan.
“The cat jumped a five-foot horse fence and got into the pen,” he said. “The goat weighed in at 250 pounds and had 16-to-18-inch horns, so he’s pretty tough and put up a fight.”
Ryan is not too keen on tracking the mountain lion down to kill it, and he declined an offer by Colorado Parks and Wildlife to trap the animal.
“I don’t like killing things, but I thought about it,” he said. “We have fewer dogs now so that is probably why it came in closer.”
He talked to the neighbors about the incident, and now his daughter wants to get a dog, probably a Rottweiler or Doberman.
“We have uncut forest here, so he’s probably not far away wanting more, but we’re not offering more,” Ryan said. “We are keeping a closer eye out, watching the kids.”
