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Several Bobcats Caught in Fountain Hills, AZ
Imagine waking up to find a bobcat in your yard. What if you had several of them roaming your street?
One wild bobcat was picked up around 6:30 a.m. Thursday at a home in Fountain Hills.
"Coyotes and bobcats in the valley are third or fifth or even 20th generation...they're comfortable around people, there's food and water wherever people live," said Critter Control's Wes Patrick.
Critter Control workers have caught several bobcats near a Fountain Hills home in the past couple of weeks.
"We've had some dry conditions in the last few years which means there's less water out in the desert," said Patrick.
Before they caught up with Thursday's catch, one of the bobcats in the neighborhood attacked a family pet. The owner -- upset when the wild animal ran off with her tiny dog a couple of weeks ago.
"I tried to run to Star, but it was too late, the bobcat had already snatched Star in her mouth," said Julie Mizell. "Just a little dog..it grabbed him and went right over the wall with him."
Mizell was heartbroken when she found her little dog's remains. That's what led her to call Critter Control so they could set a few traps.
The results were surprising -- they netted a total of four bobcats near her home.
"To know that anyone of them could come at any time," said Mizell.
"I'm not even sure we've got them all yet," said Patrick.
A good reminder is to keep an eye on your pets if you live in the outskirts of the valley.
The bobcats will go to Southwest Wildlife, an animal rehab facility where workers will re-locate them to another area, far away from Fountain Hills.
Credits: MyFoxPhoenix.com
