Pet goose attacked by bobcat in Lehigh Acres backyard

A pet goose is recovering after a bobcat grabs it by the neck and tries to carry it over a fence in Lehigh Acres. The owner of that goose has a message for all pet owners.

Joni Gordon said she wants people to be aware that predators can still put your beloved pets in danger even if you have something like a fenced-in yard.

She said she had seconds to respond to the attack before the bobcat tried taking off with her pet goose, named Ping.

News of this attack has other neighbors taking precautions to keep their pets safe.

On Tuesday morning around 9:30, Gordon heard a loud commotion from her backyard.

“I saw him on the ground, and I saw the bobcat on top of him. I came out, and I screamed at the top of my lungs. I kept moving closer and closer, screaming, and he jumped up on the fence, trying to drag my pet up over the fence,” said Gordon.

The pet is her 5-month-old goose named Ping. Gordon got him not long after he was born. She says he was swimming in a pool in her backyard when the bobcat struck.

“Finally, when I got close enough and screamed, he let my pet go and ran off,” Gordon said.

Gordon says Ping lost a lot of blood and hasn’t shown many signs of improvement. Her veterinarian put him on antibiotics and gave him fluids.

“I thought I had peace of mind with the fence, but now I don’t think so,” said Gordon.

Florida Fish and Wildlife confirmed their biologists had been notified, and the attack had been documented. They say bobcats are generally elusive and are not aggressive toward people.

If one gets too close for comfort, their advice is to yell, use an air horn, or throw a rock near, not at, the bobcat to let it know it’s unwelcome.

“Everyone needs to know that this is a possibility, and they need to supervise their pets when they’re outside,” said Gordon.

Neighbors in the Magnolia Avenue and West 10th Atreet area are aware of the nearby attack.

Ariel Hounshell and Tony Ramirez say they won’t let their cat roam anymore without supervision.

“I won’t let her out without me following her,” said Hounshell.

FWC says it’s also important to secure food sources, including garbage, and make sure your pets are not left unattended outside or in screened-in enclosures.

As for Ping the goose, Gordon said she will continue giving him his medication, hoping he makes it through this violent attack.