'Her teeth were fully in Sasha's skull': Glendora owner scares off mountain lion attacking Akita on patio

A 7-year-old Akita in Glendora, California, is recovering after surviving a mountain lion attack on her family's patio, a frightening reminder of what can happen when neighborhoods meet wild habitat.

The dog, Sasha, was outside behind her home near Angeles National Forest when her owner, Kevin Deal, heard her yelp and ran to the door, CBS News reported.

"When I swung the door open, I looked at it, and it looked at me like it was looking right through me," Deal told the publication. 

He said the mountain lion had already clamped down on Sasha's head. 

"The eyes were just like huge and clear, and her teeth were fully in Sasha's skull," he said.

Deal kicked the mountain lion in the leg, causing it to flee, then rushed Sasha to the vet, where she was treated for serious bite wounds.

"There's stitches all over the place," he said, adding that the attack "just missed her jugular vein."

The mountain lion left claw marks across the family's patio. The incident follows another encounter in which a mountain lion fatally attacked two pet dogs in a Yucaipa backyard in April.

The attack happened in a community built along the edge of wild spaces, where people and pets live in overlap zones with large predators.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Cort Klopping told CBS News that while these encounters are not unusual in foothill communities, sightings have been higher than average this year.

"That is thought to be due to the unusually warm start to the season," he said.

Warmer, shifting conditions can affect when and where wild animals move in search of food, water, or cover. Human development also plays a role, as more homes, patios, and backyards press up against habitat, and pets can become especially vulnerable.

Deal said his family plans to be more careful as Sasha heals.

Wildlife officials routinely advise residents in mountain lion territory to supervise pets outdoors, especially at dawn, dusk, and at night. They also advise locals to bring pet food inside and remove anything that might attract prey animals, which can attract predators. Secure fencing, motion lighting, and closer monitoring of patios and yards can also help reduce risk.

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