A brave pet dog fought off a leopard after the big cat crept into its owner’s courtyard and pounced while it slept.
Dramatic CCTV footage shows the unsuspecting pooch snoozing outside a home as the predator silently slips into the property under cover of darkness.
But the leopard gets more than it bargained for when the dog suddenly springs into action.
The fearless pet takes on the much larger cat just feet from the front door, snapping at its attacker and refusing to back down.
The pair grapple furiously before the leopard finally appears to decide it has had enough and flees.
Incredibly, the dog then chases the big cat out of the courtyard before a person emerges from the house.
The dramatic clash happened in Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand, India, late on Tuesday (8 September), as reported by Need To Know.
Remarkably, the brave dog escaped the terrifying encounter unharmed.
But the incident has sparked fresh concern among locals about leopards venturing into residential areas.
Residents say sightings near homes have become more frequent in recent weeks, raising fears that another encounter could leave someone seriously injured.
Villagers have called on the Forest Department to increase night patrols and track the animals’ movements.
Rudraprayag has a notorious history of leopard attacks.
The region was once terrorised by the Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag, which is believed to have killed more than 100 people.
British hunter Jim Corbett eventually tracked down and shot the animal in 1926.
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