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Lower than two weeks after a cougar killed a pet cat at a house on the outskirts of Calgary, a Foothills resident got here face-to-face with a giant cat after it attacked his canine Sunday night.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers investigating the earlier incident — which occurred simply outdoors the door of a house roughly 16 kilometres north of the Sunday assault — mentioned that whereas the world is understood to have a wholesome wildlife inhabitants, it’s uncommon for the wild cats to enterprise so near residences throughout daylight.
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On Sunday, Foothills resident Jakob Strasser had simply returned house when he heard a commotion at his entrance gate, shortly earlier than 8 p.m., he mentioned.
When he went outdoors to his driveway, Strasser mentioned he noticed considered one of his canine being attacked by a big cougar.
“I ran out and heard one of many canine screaming,” Strasser mentioned.
“I ran as much as it, had nothing in my fingers, and I simply screamed on the cougar,” he added.
The cougar ultimately dropped the small canine after Strasser’s searching canine fought off the attacking animal, he mentioned. The small canine sustained accidents however survived.
Strasser says the cougar continued to stalk his house, returning to the spot of the assault simply half-hour later, and confirmed no signal of being afraid of people.
Surveillance cameras arrange outdoors Strasser’s house captured footage of the assault and the cat prowling on the property.
After going again outdoors to scare off the cougar, Strasser says he got here face-to-face with the cat yet another time.
“I noticed his eyes shining,” Strasser mentioned. “He was proper there taking a look at me and didn’t transfer in any respect.
“It was fairly odd behaviour,” he added.
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‘Cougars round listed here are simply getting bolder’
As of Tuesday afternoon, Strasser had not been in contact with the provincial wildlife workplace in regards to the incident however deliberate to take extra precautions to guard his kids and canine, together with establishing extra cameras on the property, he mentioned.
Related precautions had been taken by Jessica Low and her husband after a cougar killed their cat and scared their three younger kids at their house on the southwest fringe of the town earlier this month.
After listening to in regards to the current incident, Low says she wonders if it was the identical cougar she had believed to be coming after her five-year-old daughter. “Cougars round listed here are simply getting bolder,” she mentioned.
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Earlier this month, a spokesperson for Alberta Fish and Wildlife mentioned cougars may be discovered throughout the Calgary space and are “typically elusive,” however suggested the neighborhood to stay cautious.
Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Providers mentioned Tuesday that it had not obtained any experiences a few cougar encounter within the Millarville space on Sept. 22.
The provincial wildlife workplace reminded residents that cougar exercise may be reported by calling 1-800-642-3800.
— With recordsdata from Brent Calver
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