No sign of cougar after weekend attack on dog at Buntzen Lake
Posted February 9, 2021 12:28 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
PORT MOODY (NEWS 1130) – Conservation officers are warning dog owners to keep their pets on leash while walking around Buntzen Lake after one pooch was attacked by a cougar Sunday afternoon.
“Just before 3 p.m., we had gotten a report that a cougar had come and attacked a dog on the trail on the west side of Buntzen Lake,” Acting Sgt. Alicia Stark explained. “The dog owners and the people there were able to get the dog away from the cougar, and then the cougar took off into the bush.”
She says there have been no sightings of the cougar since then.
“The cougar showed no aggression to people, which is really important. It went straight for the dog,” she said, adding the dog was off-leash at the time.
Stark says the cougar didn’t come back, and the encounter was likely a one-off incident.
“It just goes to show it was going for the dog as a potential food source, but wasn’t concerned about attacking people or anything like that,” she explained.
Related article: Cougar euthanized after attack north of Whistler leaves man with ‘major injuries’
Park rangers hadn’t had any cougar sightings before the attack, according to Stark, and none since. She adds her office hasn’t had any reports, either.
She adds because people weren’t targeted, there’s no active search for the cougar.
“We’re not going to go out and look for a cougar and set traps when the cougar was just doing naturally what it does.”
However, if you see the animal, you should call conservation officers.
“Signs have been posted by the park rangers there … just identifying that there has been a cougar in the area and that we’re really pushing for people to keep their dogs on leash and to keep them close to them,” Stark said.
Related article: Cougar swipes at dog on Coquitlam Crunch Trail, ‘numerous’ sightings reported
She’s also reminding that if you go into a rural area, there’s always a possibility of coming across wildlife.
“You’re in their habitat,” she said. “I would review information off the WildsafeBC website, as well as the Conservation Officer Service website [about] what to do if you see a bear, what to do if you see a cougar, and everything like that.”
Stark notes bear spray works on cougars as well, adding you could always carry it with you if you head into these areas.
