FOI documents detail COS decision to put down cougar in 2021

Citing an escalating risk to the public, conservation officers made the decision to euthanize a cougar after cougars snatched and killed two dogs in March 2021.

Documents recently released through a freedom of information request chronicle a series of late-winter cougar sightings.

While the cougars hadn’t shown any sign of aggression, there were several sightings of the animals in Port Moody and Anmore in early March, including one incident in which a cougar was spotted near the staff parking lot of an elementary school.

First attack

On March 10, a Port Moody man was walking his dog shortly before 11 p.m. at a housing complex near Bert Flinn Park.

A cougar emerged from large flower bushes and: “immediately attacked the dog,” a 14-pound Maltese shih tzu cross, according to documents from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service

The man kicked the cougar and it retreated about two metres back into the flower bushes, according to the report.

He picked up the dog and rushed it to the emergency vet hospital but, due to the large bite on its neck and head, the dog had to be euthanized.

Conservation officers discussed the situation with provincial wildlife biologist Nicola Bickerton.

Given that the area is surrounded by wildlife habitat, Bickerton: “felt that this cougar didn’t need to be put down yet” but would support any decision the conservation officers made, according to COS documents.

Conservation officer Jared Connatty felt this was a predatory attack and advised a full perimeter search of the property to ensure the cougar had left.

Due to the time and nature of the attack, conservation officers eventually concluded the man and the dog “caught the cougar off guard and the dog triggered the cougar to attack it.”

“The cougar showed no aggression towards the male. Even when the male made contact with the cougar it did not swipe, his or try to bite; it just retreated,” the documents stated.

Second attack

On March 11, conservation officers got another call that a cougar had attacked a dog.

The dog owner was walking his German shepherd puppy in Anmore when a large cougar came out of the bushes on Sunnyside Road and attacked. The site was a little more than two kilometres from the location of the previous attack.

The dog owner described playing “tug of war” with the cougar for 30 to 45 seconds before he fell down while holding the leash.

The cougar dropped the dog, “then advanced aggressively toward the dog owner,” according to COS documents.

The owner kicked the cougar hard in the face.

The cougar picked up the 22-pound dog and ran off, “pulling the leash out of the owner’s hand.”

Escalating risk

The documents also describe three cougars staying in a residential area of Port Moody “for an extended period of time.” The cougars were resistant to efforts by conservation officers to get the animals to leave the neighbourhood.

There were also concerns that a female cougar was teaching her young to hunt prey in a residential environment.

Noting that cougars seemed to be showing no fear of humans and were becoming: “comfortable living and hunting non-natural prey in a residential setting,” the decision was made to set out traps with frozen deer and beaver as bait.

There were numerous cougar sightings over that period: one resident spotted a cougar in their flower bed, another spotted a cougar walk past his bedroom window, and a young girl in a hot tub saw a cougar on her fence, possibly looking at her dog.

Conservation officers were eventually called to a home on Barber Lane. After hearing cougars “chirping,” the officers concluded there were at least three cougars on site.

A juvenile cougar scrambled up the branches of a cedar tree behind a house.

Conservation officers shot the cougar with a tranquilizer and later killed the wildcat.

The cougar was not quite 10 months old.

The attacks came on the heels of a series of incidents in February 2021 when a family of cougars killed a dog and stalked an elderly couple before one of the animals was eventually euthanized.

In December 2023, a quartet of cougars were seen sauntering through the Mossom Creek watershed. The hatchery opted to release the trail cam video in a bid to call for greater coexistence with cougars.

“We want to remind the public that the onus is on each of us to prevent wildlife conflicts,” the hatchery organization stated in a release. “We are appealing to the public to remove attractants from their yards, keep their cats inside, not leave their dogs unattended in their yards, and keep pets leashed on trails.”

Port Moody has reported no recent cougar sightings.

Dealing with a cougar

If you see a cougar, do not run, as sudden movement can provoke an attack. Appear large and try to back away slowly, according to advice from COS.

Cougars will typically avoid a confrontation. f a cougar behaves aggressively, maintain eye contact, show your teeth and make loud noises. If possible, arm yourself with rocks or sticks.