VIDEO: Off-leash dog chases mountain goats, separating mother from kid on 14er

A video recently published by 'Tourons of National Parks' captures a scene that's sure to frustrate lovers of Colorado nature.

In the clip, a bystander near the summit of 14,268-foot Mount Blue Sky (yes, not a national park despite the name of the Instagram account), captures a large dog charging at an adult mountain goat and a kid, splitting the two before continuing to chase the larger goat away. At one point, the goat attempts to bluff charge the dog, but then quickly leaves the scene as the dog follows.

Two key takeaways can be gathered from the clip – first, this appears to be animal harassment, plain and simple. The dog is stressing out wildlife by chasing it, with the owner who allowed this to happen potentially subject to criminal charges and/or fines. Second, it's dangerous for the dog, too. Not only could a wild animal act defensively if threatened – especially if young are involved – the dog is also running across a road and then off the side of the road into what appears to be a steeper drop off. By blindly following a capable mountain goat into rugged and rocky terrain, the dog could be at risk of severe injury or death.

Watch the clip below:

When in nature, pet owners should follow leash laws and if rules permit off-leash travel, it's important that only animals that can strictly obey vocal commands are off-leash.

Those who spot behavior of this nature happening should report it to local wildlife officials.