HOUSTON - It pays to keep your eyes on the sky, especially if you're a Yorkshire terrier or a small cat.
In early November, T.C. Nelson was out in the backyard with her dog Teddy and her cat. But unbeknownst to them, a fourth player was watching from above.
"The bird was behind me. He flew down and landed in the middle of my flower bed on top of my cat. My cat shrieked," said T.C. Nelson, pet owner.
Nelson said it wasn't just any bird; it was a bald eagle.
"I swear, the wing span was about six to seven feet," said Nelson.
Nelson quickly grabbed her Yorkshire terrier and put him in the house.
"When I came back, the cat was gone and so was the eagle," said Nelson.
According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, it is possible for an eagle to swoop into your backyard and snatch up your family pet. They said it doesn't happen often, but it does occur.
They said the eagle probably thought it was going after a squirrel, and neighbors who have seen the bird, said it wouldn't be the first time.
"It was trying to catch squirrels. It was trying to go through the branches in the pine tree. Then, it got stuck and flew away. It was too big," said Ozzie Sotomayor, neighbor.
No longer endangered, but still highly threatened, the eagle is protected by law. There are believed to be only 151 pairs in Texas, so it's unlikely one will pay a visit to your backyard any time soon.
Still, Nelson isn't taking any chances. Her dog Teddy has a newly constructed kennel under the protection of a roof.
