A Labrador retriever in Cedar Hills, Utah, fought off a mountain lion on July 19 in order to protect its family, according to KSLTV News. Despite suffering severe injuries, the dog lived to tell the tale.

As Crystal Michaelis and her kids played in the backyard, Ella, a 7-year-old yellow Lab, noticed the mountain lion. Michaelis didn’t see the mountain lion, but she did notice Ella acting oddly and glancing back and forth from the kids to the area where the mountain lion was hiding.

Michaelis reported that she kept turning her head to gaze at the children before quickly turning her head away. She was merely exercising caution, and my daughter was concerned.

After some time, Michaelis brought her children inside. The damage Ella had sustained to her head, face, legs, tongue, and neck as they made their way back to the patio door was significant. We opened the rear door to find Ella completely bloodied. According to Michaelis, “the door and the patio were covered in blood.”

Mountain lion footprints were found leading to the spot, even though the family was not present during the conflict, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Authorities on wildlife believe that the mountain lion may have been preoccupied with some nearby goats in a neighbor’s yard when it approached the Michaelis’ home too closely.

After defending her family from a mountain lion in Cedar Hills, Ella, a 7-year-old lab, had injuries to her head, neck, legs, and tongue in addition to having over 30 bites on her body.

The mountain lion has not been spotted recently, according to the Utah DWR, but locals have been urged to exercise caution and vigilance. They’ve also seen deer moving through this area, and since deer are cougars’ primary food source, they frequently follow deer wherever they go, according to DWR public relations officer Faith Jolley.

Around 30 bites, all starting from Ella’s shoulders, were inflicted against her. Which means she maintained her defensive stance and never gave up, Michaelis told the press. Ella should fully recover from her wounds despite them.

Learn more about the narrative by watching the video below: