This detective claims he has verification but operationally I have to wonder if this is really true as I would imagine some dogs could put up enough of a fight to be dangerous to lions through buts, scratches etc.
Any possible truth to this? Can a lion take down any dog so easily it’s in no danger?
Well, it’s plausible. I don’t know if it’s true.
For Mercereau of PETA to object seems to contrast with the org’s name. How can he argue with animal ethics?
I think it would be pretty laughably one sided in the lion’s favor. I watched a nature show where 3 lions attacked a cape buffalo and a hippo (two of the most dangerous animals in Africa), and walked away from it unscathed (and indeed, undaunted, although the prey got away in both cases).
Without its pack, a dog is not a very formidable hunter.
Agreed, but don’t forget that stray dogs are used to fight for a living. My guess is that at least some of them won’t put up that easily and will actually fight back. And the dog might get lucky and do some good damage to the lion before submitting.
Even if the dog wants to try and fight, the dog will probably lose 99.99999% of the time, unless he can get away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh0yshsmV84 Maybe not.
The poor large kitty looks more annoyed by that damned dog than anything. If it really wanted to, that dog would be dead in two seconds. Nevermind a full grown lion.
In fact, a full grown lion would probably enjoy the idea that the dog thinks it has a chance and might even fake difficulty in killing the dog for the sake of screwing with it. Cats are sadistic like that. 
Lions have arms/legs the size of tree trunks! One swat at the dogs face and the thing will surely die.
I’ve heard of a lone wolf taking down a full-grown elk. While the lion would almost certainly win, it seems to me there’d still be a pretty good chance of getting injured.
Against a healthy wolf? maybe Against a half starved street stray? Not a chance.
I recall reading about hunting in Africa in the 1930s and 40s. Dogs were apparently sometimes used to hunt lions - but the dogs had to learn the skill of locating and barking at the lion, and perhaps nipping at its rear, but always staying out of its reach. I think the statement was “It is death for any dog to close with a lion.”
Stray dogs are a huge problem in Latin America. They are flea ridden disease fur balls who end up often as roadkill. It’s interesting to see how they survive day to day though. They will eat ANYTHING. I really feel sorry for them, they look so sickly and scraggly, it’s sad. Then again, lion’s gotta eat, and if you’re going to control the population and you’re a country with few resources, hey!
Who said the dogs are given a fair chance? They could just as easily be flung over the moat and break at least one leg on landing.
What I am curious about is, would a lion really fight and kill a dog? That doesn’t sound like their habitual hunting strategy at all. Doubly so for a lion accustomed to years of having clean steak brought to him already dead.
Why do lions lick their butts?
To get the taste of dog out of their mouths.
Lions in the wild will chase any hunting dog, jackal or fox they come across. And they invariably kill them if they catch them. IOW chasing and killing dogs is very normal behaviour for a lion.
Of course lions will also invariably chase and attempt to kill any cheetah, hyaena or leopard they come across. It’s not a dog thing. Lions just don’t not play well with other predators.
Was the dog prepared?
I think the biggest danger to the lion would be health concerns. Who knows what diseases and such a stay dog has picked up. Not sure it would be a good idea to feed them to lions.
Fear the Weiner.
Rhodesian Ridgebacks may survive.
Hard to tell if they pay attention during the briefings. They’re always licking their balls.