According to the family, the wild animal jumped the backyard fence and grabbed the small dog in its jaws.
FRISCO, Texas — At first glance, Ariel appears to be doing just fine. The 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier runs around, plays and acts like any other dog.
But for her owner, Claudia Asberry, every moment now feels a little more meaningful.
“To this day I am shocked that Ariel is still here,” Asberry said.
The frightening encounter happened Easter Sunday shortly after church.
Asberry said she brought Ariel to her daughter’s home in Frisco so the dog could play outside in the backyard.
“She loves the backyard,” Asberry said. “She thinks she owns the backyard.”
But moments later, everything changed.
“I heard this scream,” Asberry recalled. She said she looked outside and saw a bobcat attacking Ariel.
“I saw a bobcat attacking her…sticking his teeth into her,” she said.
According to Asberry, the wild animal jumped the backyard fence and grabbed the small dog in its jaws.
Video recorded during the attack captures the panic as family members screamed and rushed outside.
Asberry said she had stepped inside the home for only a few minutes when the attack happened.
She says the bobcat eventually dropped Ariel after her son-in-law charged toward the animal.
“She just looked lifeless just lying there,” Asberry said.
The family rushed Ariel to an emergency veterinarian, where doctors treated several deep wounds to her neck and another injury to her stomach.
Despite the attack, Ariel is expected to fully recover. Wildlife authorities say bobcat sightings and encounters are becoming more common as development continues expanding into natural habitats.
Experts urge pet owners to closely supervise small animals outdoors, even in fenced-in yards. Asberry says she hopes others learn from what happened to her family.
“Even if you’re visiting people, still just don’t leave your small pets alone,” she said.
Asberry has since created a GoFundMe page to help cover Ariel’s unexpected medical bills. But she says she’s simply grateful to still have her best friend by her side.