An Arizona homeowner found a bobcat lying in a dog bed on Monday. Authorities say the bobcat entered through a “doggy door,” and the owner’s dog was injured when it came into contact with the animal.
A homeowner in San Manuel, Arizona, reportedly found a bobcat after returning home from work Monday, Fox 10 reported. Unfortunately, the animal hurt the homeowner’s dog before leaving.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department posted pictures to Twitter appearing to show the animal on a cushioned dog bed.
“A bobcat lounges on a dog bed in San Manuel home Mon. The homeowner, who found it upon returning from work, suspects it entered through an unlocked doggie door. The bobcat escaped before an officer arrived,” the department wrote.
“Bobcats are common throughout Arizona at all elevations, especially in Sonoran desert, rimrock, and chaparral areas, and in the outskirts of urban areas where food is readily available” a page from the department’s website reads.
The department also advised that while bobcats “rarely attack people,” “If you have small pets, they need to be protected from bobcats and other predators.”
The page notes that bobcats have been known to come onto properties in search of “food, water, shelter, or the space they need to live.”
A GoFundMe page set up for Squeakers the dog’s treatment has raised more than its $3,300 goal. A visual “Recovery Journal” noted the dog was receiving treatment at Veterinary Specialty Center Tuscon.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department wrote another update on Squeakers.
“Many thanks to concerned citizens & the Veterinary Specialty Center Tucson from the family of #Squeakers, who turned up injured Tues. after a bobcat entered their home Mon. through a doggy door. The family asks that you show your support on Instagram at Squeakers2023.”
The Fish and Game Department cautions the public against handling entrapped and injured wildlife and urges those who come into contact with such animals to call 623-236-7201 as soon as possible.