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Subscribe to RSSSTANWOOD, Wash. -- Cougar sightings are concerning neighbors of a city north of Seattle, Wash., including one woman who lost her two dogs.
“My heart is broken, I don’t want anyone to feel that way, it hurts,” Suzanne Karelsen told NBC station KING5 after her family lost the dogs over two weeks in Stanwood.
Others have reported missing pets and many fear the cougars are responsible.
Karelsen said she called wildlife officials but that no one has come to investigate.
“It’s very frustrating. All I wanted them to do is acknowledge this, maybe come and check the area,” said Karelsen.
The local county has only three people available to investigate incidents like this, said Sgt. Jennifer Maurstad.
Due to budget cuts and limited staffing, it needs proof there’s a sighting.
“Often times it’s a cat, it’s a dog. So just to weed through that process and save time we will normally only respond if it’s a confirmed sighting,” said Maurstad.
Julie Goforth said she came within 300 feet of a cougar. “He literally looked right at me,” she told KING5.
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Have to love Washington States Wildlife and Fisheries Dept.! They will wipe out an entire pack of wolves, but won't look to be sure a cougar is not looking for easy meals in the suburbs. First it is the pets then once they know they can take an animal close in size like a large dog they will go for children. But no reason to take it as seriously as wolves eating cows left unprotected on public land! Got some rocket scientist in that dept.
What's the big deal? Cougars need to eat! If the people don't want fluffy and fido to become Cougar scat don't live in an area where there are Cougars. It is ABSOLUTELY wrong to go after these animals when all they are doing is trying to stay alive.
Cougars were there first. If people do not want to lose their animals to wild animals, DO NOT live where the wild animals. Live in the big city
Go ahead Rory Douchebag Weber 210! "My" cougar will eat your dog, your cat, your chickens whatever! Go ahead slick! You nutcase!
First, I feel sorry for anyone that looses a companion animal. But second--where is the responsibility from the owner?If I knew there were cougars that could possibly be hunting a small mammal then I would be watching when my dog or cat is outside. I have a fenced yard and our dogs are only out when one of us is home and then we watch them--isn't there a leash law in the State or city? There is in ours. People need to take more care and responsibility for the lives of their pets. The cougars are wild, the companion animals are not and they need responsible owners.
It is funny when people procreate, they spread out and then out of the blue fluffy gets eaten. In Oregon there are just two names for pets, Kibbles and Bits. I spay and neuter my pets and they come inside at night. Cougar sightings have increased ever since they stopped hunting with dogs, but I imagine there are more reasons than that. Chronic wasting disease of elk and deer, weather, population expansion.
Whoa--no confirmed sighting? One dog killed and the owner is not acting in a more responsible manner, then the second dog is killed week later? The owner needs to be more responsible and she is not even sure what killed her dogs?
It could have been another dog for all she knows---
I know for a fact that a cougar was preying on large dogs, some years back, in foothill communities below the San Gabriel Mountains. It killed and carried off an Akita on one occasion. Didn't believe it until I got the true story.
Other than Cougars, there are other preditors on the prowl. Humans who steal pets for profit. Large Owls, Eagles, Hawks, Vultures, Wolves, Mountain Lions, Bobcat, Bears and Fox to name a few will see leashed or sleeping small pets as easy prey and a fast meal. We have large owls in our area that have consumed many Squirrels, Rabbits, Skunks and have swooped down on our small @!$%#z Zhu in the front yard on her leash and 4lb Tuxedo House Cat while following me out onto our deck. Always watch your smaller pets when they are outside on a leash, or off a leash in a fenced yard. Motion lights or alarms are useless...birds of prey are stealth and swift and something you can't catch. I am sincerely sorry to hear the news of your loss.
The pet owners had better verify that it is a cougar. Coyotes are excellent pet hunters and some bad raccoons do the same in Washington. In Olympia aggressive raccoons have been seen attacking pets on leashes.
a rat bastard i may be. but being a farmer that i im, wolves or cougars or what ever else comes in and kills my livestock better hope i dont get them in my sights. i feel i have the right to protect my lively hood and if you animal lovers cant under stand that. its your problem.
Your lively hood is dogs and cats? Poor guy, just a little reminder for ya. This article is about the possibility that cougars are responsible for the disappearance of some family pets. It doesn't say anything about farmers and ranchers losing their right to protect their livestock, which they have every right to do. Quit bitchin! No one said you can't kill a cougar if it is killing your livestock!
@geno62:
You can lose the attitude and stop acting like somebody #$&*! in your cornflakes.I'm an animal lover and I understand that if a predator is attacking a person or another animal in a way that's going to kill them,I have to stop the predator from attacking even if that means lethal force.
The cougars were here first. And there is an over abundance of cats and dogs. They might even thin out the liberal population. That's how nature works.
Cougars are not the only preditor to make a meal of a small pet. Large birds of prey (Owls, Eagles, Vultures, Hawks) and Bears, Wolves, Coyotes, Mountain Lions, Bobcats and Fox. A large owl swept down and landed on the corner of our patio railing when my small 4lb Tuxedo (Black/White) feline followed me out onto the deck. The Owl was a beauty and had no interest in me, it glared at my cat who ran back into the house. This large owl and hawk managed to exterminate quite a few squirrels, skunks, and rabbits in our area. Small dogs and cats have disappeared. If you live near a wooded area, never leave your pet unattended in the back yard, or on a leash in the early morning, evening and especially at night. Also, humans who steal pets for a profit are also preditors. Sorry to hear the loss of your pets.
coons will kill your pets they are mean. a nountain lion and cougare are the same thing. even a possem will come after you. and they have really big sharp teeth.
5.56 mm rounds work well on coyotes,as for cougars might want to up it to 7.62X39 mm rounds !
300 WIN MG works best
Ok people.here is the parts you don't know. I am from southern oregonon the coast. we have bears cougars deer elk a good verity of game animals. I personally have had cougars in my back yard with black bears and deer.when the dear dissapear there is a bear or cougar in the area. a 3 yr old cat will bring down a full grown dear, about 150lbs. A cougar will bring down a calf elk. about 400 lbs. you really think you stand a chance with a cat or bear. YOUR FUNNY. not gonna happen. we do need to controll them. not neccerally kill all of them when the population gets to big for an area it will start to expand. thats nature. We do have to controle there population just like humans do evan we have unwante people to contend with.time to thin them out. Funny thing is i live 300 ft from a elemetry school.with about 100 kids play on the play ground. guess whats for dinner? Then see how you feel about cougars and bears. Might even be you WIFE OR HUSBAND. Me i carry guns at all time. And I will KILL THEM.. no question about it. If people want to go to the back country get ready for it , and you city people stay away YOU WILL DIE. If you don't understand what i am saying LOOK up BEAR CAMP ROAD IN OREGON it has taken more than one life and that is becouse of ignorance.
Ignorant people, stay in the city and don't think, or trust gps. ITS wrong. If you don't know what or where you are STOP YOU DON"T BELONG.
And by the way it is normal for a cat to get around 220-250 lbs and they will stolk and kill you, and don't think they won't a dear knows when to run you should to.
it is always a sad day when a pet dies. however, it is not okay to blam the wildlife for the loss of your beloved pets. these cougars are wild animals, they are not being evil, by killing and EATING your pet, it is their nature. it is not the resonsability of the predator to not eat your dogs lady, it is the other way around. it is YOUR responsability to keep your dogs out of harms way. theres the facts. get over it, and do YOUR job. leave helpless animals out of it.
If a cougar is hunting and killing pets, then it is probably old and can't hunt real game anymore. This makes it dangerous to pets and people. If a dog is fair game, then a small child is also fair game. The wildlife folks need to take this seriously, before someone is hurt or killed.
If people would stop encroaching on their homes, maybe they would stop. If you flaunt it in their faces, they're going to snack. I have a dog, but I'm sick of hearing how coyotes, cougars, mt. lions, deer, are bothering people. You can only reduce their footprint by so much before they come knocking on our doors.
If a cougar threatens your pets, shoot it with your gun.
If a "cougar" threatens you, shoot her with your love gun.
I love it when issues are so simple.
Leave the cougars alone. Keep your pets in your yard or in your house . They were here before we were. Why do you want to kill off all the animals, when it is man who invades their territory?
best watch the children too, that big cat is a danger to people as well. just shoot it.
When you build housing in a cougar's habitat, you are gonna get cougars in your backyard. Suburban sprawl sucks.
Most of these homes were built in habitat that hadn't seen a cougar in decades... I have a home that hadn't seen a wolf in 100 years. Now wolves are like rats killing off all the wildlife. I've seen more bears in the last 2 weeks than I saw in my first 25 years growing up. (And I spent a heck of a lot of time in the woods.)
Where is Edward Cullen when you need him?
Yeah, cougars are dumb as hell. Just plant yourself outside with a gun and wait for one to show up. Not there yet? Don't worry it will show.
People are somewhat responsible for invading the habitat of wild animals. But certain species have been reintroduced to an area without the publics knowledge.
LARGE MALE COUGAR shot in residential area of Des Moines, Iowa this past week.
Of course cougars are going to come into neighborhoods and kill pets. They've also killed people. Pansies, bunny huggers and city slickers have brainwashed people into banning hunting and running these big cats with dogs. In just a few short generations of cats, they're losing their fear of humans. For 10,000 years, humans have chased and attacked these cats. There was a reason our forefathers tried to wipe them out. I'm not advocating wiping them out but they need to be hunted, run with dogs, an kept in check... You can't just stop or they will move in and kill.