"Phlicka [must have] been giving birth when a mountain lion had dragged the foal away from her," the breeder said.
A newborn foal, nicknamed "Charlie the Miracle Colt," is well on his way to recovery after being attacked by a mountain lion while he was being born.
Read: Premature Baby Beats the Odds to Survive, Despite Being Born With Feet the Size of Pennies
Rare horse breeder Diane Truxillo of Anza, California, said she was preparing for her Knabstrupper Phlicka to give birth when suddenly, “we heard the dogs start going ballistic,” she told InsideEdition.com.
When she and her husband got to the barn to check on the horses, she said she noticed their two dogs chasing something into the distance. She also noticed a mountain lion dashing away.
That’s when they noticed their horse Phlicka wasn’t alone – she had already given birth to a tiny foal.
“It was down there with its birth sack and still steaming in the cold air […] the umbilicus was still attached,” Truxillo said. "Phlicka [must have] been giving birth when a mountain lion had dragged the foal away from her. Amazingly, the foal was still alive."
She said the newborn had visible bite marks on his neck, and could barely stand up. He also has not yet nursed from his mother yet, which left him weaker and more prone to infections.
Truxillo said she carried the foal in her lap on their way to the hospital, where doctors told them the newborn shouldn’t be alive.
"The colt had not died during the attack, and was showing us every sign that he was fighting to stay in the world," Truxillo said.
The foal stayed in the hospital for several days, and was later transported to some friends, whom Truxillo called their “angels,” that could nurse her back to health at a lower cost.
That’s when they decided to name the newborn, “Charlie.”
“As of today, his wounds are nearly closed up, and all the scratches and other minor injuries he suffered are now just itching from the healing,” Truxillo said. “He loves all the attention he gets, and is not holding any grudges for all the needles stuck in his rump or torture of having his wounds cleaned so often.”
Read: Elderly Horse That Avoided Slaughterhouse by Blending In With Donkeys Is Showered With Gifts
Charlie is still recovering away with his caretakers, but Truxillo said he will be reunited with his brothers and sisters at Baroque ‘n Dreams farm as soon as the weather clears up.
To donate to Charlie’s hospital bills, visit their GoFundMe page or bid on items at the farm’s silent auction.
