A Wyoming man successfully fought off a mountain lion with his bare hands and boot after the big cat attacked his Labrador. Adam Borkhus, a 33-year-old amateur wildlife photographer, was changing camera lenses near Cody on 19 September when his two-year-old dog, Diesel, was set upon by the predator. Though Borkhus had a firearm and bear spray available, he chose instead to kick the lion in the face to free his dog, an action that ultimately saved both their lives but put himself in grave danger.

The mountain lion, weighing approximately 70 pounds, turned its attention to Borkhus after the kick and pounced on his chest, knocking the 6-foot-3, 300-pound man onto his back. Borkhus fought the animal off by punching it with one hand whilst keeping its teeth away from his face and neck, eventually grabbing its ear and wrenching it hard enough that the lion fled the scene. The entire encounter lasted between 20 and 30 seconds, leaving Borkhus with scratches to his hands, arm and face, whilst Diesel miraculously emerged completely uninjured. Wildlife experts recommend using bear spray rather than physical confrontation if a mountain lion grabs one's dog, though they acknowledge such advice is easier to follow in theory than in the moment of crisis.