Comes the news (making its way through the local newsgroups) that a MIllard Canyon cabin resident's dog was almost dragged away by one or two cougars this morning (Sunday). The report says:
[The cabin resident] was awakened this morning by yelping. In her bathrobe and wooden clogs she turned on an outdoor light to see a large cougar attempting to drag Ford [her German shepherd] across the deck with the cat's jaws clamped around the dog's throat. [She] hollered at the cat, ran over, and bonked it multiple times with her wooden clog until the cougar dropped the dog and fled to the fenced front yard. [She] retreated with the dog, who was able to get himself back inside the cabin. [She] then returned with a bright spotlight and continued to yell at the cat. The cougar paced the high fence trying to escape, then pulled itself over the gate and vanished.
But that's not the end of it:
Perhaps more disquieting, [she] heard a noise on her roof a while after the attack. When she investigated, she saw a cougar up there. It may have been a second cat instead of the first cougar returning. Sub-adult males will often travel together. She again hollered at the cougar to go away, shined a bright light at it, and set off a loud air horn. The cougar left.
The incident was reported to the U.S. Forest Service and California Fish and Game. Ford sustained a puncture wound to his neck, but his thick fur (and his owner's quick action with the shoe!) managed to minimize the damage, and it's reported he'll be fine.
A little extra caution is advised on the trails!
A little extra caution is advised on the trails!
