PENTICTON – A dog is recovering after a dangerous encounter with a cougar in the Upper Bench area of Penticton on Wednesday. According to Penticton Conservation Officer Barb Leslie, it was a younger cougar which eventually left the area.
“The dog was out in the yard by itself and there were deer in the area and the cougar came into the yard,” says Leslie.
She says conservation officers have not been able to track the cougar down.
“It’s not uncommon to see cougars in and around the rural areas of Penticton where we have a high deer population and normally the cougars are fearful of people and usually stay away from them,” Leslie says.
She says nearby schools were warned about a cougar in the area and provides some tips for anyone who may encounter one.
“Make yourself as big as possible, make lots of noise so that the cougar will go the other direction or away from you,” she says. “When people are out in some rural areas, a good reminder is that cougars do exist and should take precautions when walking dogs out on trails.”
She adds, dogs should always be kept on a leash when out in rural areas where there may be cougars. She also warns never to look a cougar in the eye.
Conservation officers received the complaint just before 10 a.m. Leslie says they will continue to monitor the situation and if the cougar does come back into the area or causes any more problems, conservation officers will determine if they should take action from there.
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