Residents in Bountiful are experiencing more and more cougar sightings, reported ABC 4. And though this community experiences lots of cougar sightings, they're especially on edge after one neighbor's dog was attacked by one of the cougars.
Resident Jeffrey Vanwagenen moved to the area 16 years ago. Vanwagenen said, "When we first moved in, we went to church and someone said ‘be cautious there’s a wildcat or cougar that’s been spotted on our street’ and we thought where did we just move to?"
Vanwagenen's dog, Kaiser, was attacked by a cougar. Vanwagenen said, "The vet said ‘yeah, there were four bite marks, you could see top fangs, lower fangs and you could see it pulled the skin away."
Kaiser is now recovering well, according to Vanwagenen.
So how can you keep safe from cougars this season?
Here are some tips for keeping safe at your home:
- Keep deer out of your yard.
- Remove any wildlife attractants such as food, water, bird feeders, and fallen fruit.
- Do not leave young children outside without an adult.
- Bring pets indoors at night.
- Secure livestock in a barn or kennel overnight.
Here are some tips for keeping safe while enjoying nature:
- Do not hike or jog alone.
- Travel in groups.
- Make noise while hiking to alert wildlife of your presence.
- Leave the area if you see a dead animal lying around.