July 28 — Taulere and Arrone Appel were taking their usual walk with their small, white Cavachon dog on Friday. It was roughly an hour after sunset when their dog, Bodhi, halted and looked off, as if he had spotted something.
“Within two seconds,” Bodhi was dead, Taulere stated. A mountain lion had leaped from a nearby bush to take the dog.
Arrone began to move toward the lion, uncertain whether the lion had been responsible for Bodhi’s death, until Taulere signaled him to return. The couple lived just a few houses away from their home on Balsam Drive, where they would take Bodhi for his evening stroll.
It was sudden, like it came out of nowhere,” Taulere said. “We walked home in disbelief.
The Appels have resided in Boulder since 1984. Taulere mentioned she is unaware of any similar incident involving a leashed pet in a residential neighborhood.
After arriving home, the Appels contacted Boulder’s non-emergency number. Boulder Animal Protection, the city’s Open Space & Mountain Parks department, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife arrived on the scene.
Occasionally beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday, the three agencies arrived at Balsam Drive, visiting homes to inform residents and search for the mountain lion.
The wild cat was not found by the CPW, according to Kara Van Hoose, the CPW’s Northeast Region public information officer.
Now, Taulere stated, the couple is less certain about venturing out than they were prior to losing their dog.
It didn’t fear us,” Taulere stated. “But we are now afraid of it.
Mountain lions are frequently found in Boulder, according to Van Hoose. The Boulder region is home to one of the highest concentrations of mountain lions in the nation. However, this doesn’t imply that residents of Boulder encounter them regularly.
Predatory felines are known to be territorial and live alone, according to Van Hoose. They typically emerge during the time between sunset and sunrise, moving about under the veil of night.
They are often seen hunting small animals like dogs. Typically, however, these dogs are not on a leash.
Van Hoose mentioned that both young and older lions tend to go for easier prey, such as small household pets. Small dogs, like the 10-pound Bodhi, can be considered “easy meals,” Van Hoose noted.
Mountain lions can also exhibit a specific pattern; if a mountain lion identifies a particular prey as a simple source of food, it may come back and attempt the same again.
Van Hoose mentioned that Boulder is home to various wildlife, including mountain lions, deer, and elk. She noted that individuals should be prepared to come across wild animals while in the city. However, she added, there are measures that residents of Boulder can take to safeguard themselves and their pets from potential attacks.
—If you need to take your dog out at night, switch on the lights or carry a flashlight.
—Create a loud sound before releasing a dog to deter any nearby wild animals.
—Avoid allowing a dog to roam at night in the darkness.
Mountain lions are much more inclined to attack a pet during the night, when the dog is not on a leash and there is nothing to make the cat hesitate.
They may not be very noticeable,” Van Hoose stated. “And that’s how they prefer it.
Anyone encountering a mountain lion in their local area should contact CPW, according to Van Hoose. The state agency will evaluate the circumstances and determine the most effective course of action.
Occasionally, a cat gathers a “stockpile” of food instead of consuming it all in one spot. It is recommended that people avoid interfering and contact CPW. The organization’s primary phone number is 303-297-1192.
This year, Colorado residents have notified the agency about mountain lions 28 times. At this point last year, there had been 24 calls, out of a total of 43 reports in 2024.
Taulere mentioned that she wished there was a more effective alert system for detecting mountain lions. She and her husband would not have taken Bodhi with them if they had been aware that a mountain lion was nearby, she stated.
The Appels’ dog had been part of the family for just one year before he passed away on Friday. The couple adopted Bodhi during a time when they were still mourning their previous dog, who had succumbed to health issues last year.
Bodhi was an exceptional dog,” Taulere remarked. “He had no fear of anything.
First Published: July 28, 2025 at 2:38 PM MDT
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