A Las Vegas woman says she had to fight off an owl who had its eyes on her 4-year-old dog.
Tracy Wale says it was about twenty seconds of terror from the time she noticed the owl until the time is swooped down and tried to snatch her dog from her yard near Town Center Drive and Charleston Boulevard.
"He had a wingspan of 5 feet and I never even heard him come in and land,” said Wale. "He was flying down, and I got between him and her so that way he didn't eat her. "
The massive owl landed on her balcony with its eyes set on Bauer just below.
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Wale says she tried waving and shouting at the owl and even trying to throw rocks at it. However, she says the owl wouldn't stop.
Veterinarian Debbie White of Lone Mountain Animal Hospital says, "If you have a small animal they can be mistaken for one of their typical prey and can certainly have an attack."
Dr. White wanted pet owners to know the importance of keeping a watchful eye on your pet at all times.
"Being aware that there's a bird of prey in the area is important. Pet owners shouldn't leave their dogs and cats outside at night, especially if they're small," she says. " [Also] keep your pets supervised and on leash control."
Wale hopes she can warn her neighbors in the Summerlin area of what happened and for nearby pet owners to be aware.
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“It could grab little dogs, little cats because they are hungry,” says Wale. “They are just trying to find food, and she was almost it [the food]. Had I not been there, I fear to think what would've happened."
