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Happy Ending For Family Pet

By
Real Estate Agent with West + Main

 Central Oregon is a place of beauty and an area that is often shared with a wide variety of wild life.  Most of the wild life in Central Oregon is harmless and beautiful to look at, enjoyed by all and often the talk around the water cooler.  Who saw a heard of elk, or a deer crossing the road and so on? 

Today reality set in for some, a home I sold about 2 years ago came into the news.  The home owners live in this cute little home with their children and a dog.  They started their day as they typically do.  One of the kids went to the back door and let out the family dog, turned to go put on his jacket and go play with the dog. 

Dad apparently looked out the door or window prior to the child going out to see a cougar chasing the dog.  The homeowner was able to get the dog in the home before it was injured and called 911.  The sheriffs that responded called Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife who felt putting the animal down was the best resolution.  It was daylight, in a neighborhood of families and tracking or trapping the animal could lead to a dangerous situation for children getting on and off school buses.

Although, this is not an everyday occurrence, it does happen.  No matter how long you have lived in Central Oregon, it is a good idea to always respect the wild life and keep a safe distance.  If you find your self in a situation similar to this one, please call the authorities and let them deal with it.

Read the story on my favorite Central Oregon News Source.

Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate
Hi Thesa:  I would think that would be pretty scary, looking out the back window and seeing a cougar chasing your doggie.  But, then again, I would guess that the cougar population was there before any of the homes were built.  It is definitely a two-sided situation.  I am glad nobody was hurt.  Take care...
Jan 22, 2008 05:08 PM
Joseph Ellman
Realty Executives- Williams-Sykes Realty - Poughkeepsie, NY
Thesa - Wow...that's some story.  I'm glad the child and family dog are ok.
Jan 22, 2008 07:48 PM
No Longer Active
Real Estate - Fallon, MT
So I guess there still is the Wild West.... we see deer, coyote and fox around here but none of those monsterous cats...
Jan 22, 2008 10:27 PM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Red Hook, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection
Thesa - That was a close encounter. I gues that  is one reason I have never gone camping, I am not sure what I would run into.
Jan 22, 2008 10:28 PM
Sandra Cummings
William Raveis Real Estate - Guilford, CT
Real Estate Agent, Guilford Connecticut
Around here families lose cats to the coyotes, but lucky no cougars
Jan 22, 2008 10:29 PM
Neal Bloom
Brokered by eXp Realty LLC - Weston, FL
Realtor CRS-Weston FL Real Estate
I'm glad we don't live where those types of animals run wild...I thought the snakes and frogs were bad but I'm not too happy to have to worry about that waking up in my back yard.
Jan 22, 2008 10:36 PM
Karen Rice Keller Williams Real Est
Keller Williams Real Estate - Hawley, PA
Northeast PA & Lake Wallenpaupack Home Sales

OMGOSH!! How scary!!!

I frequently see black bear in my yard, but they just lumber along on their merry way; they generally do not stop and interact with us at all (Not that we're outside when they are, but my dog was once and starting barking ferociously...I got her inside and the bear never even paused while she was barking at it..)

A cougar though is probably not as uninterested as a bear.  Obviously he was on the hunt since he was chasing the dog.  

What a horrifying experience.  Thank goodness nobody was hurt. 

Jan 22, 2008 11:26 PM
Jeanean Gendron
The Address Realty - Redding, CA
Specializing in Selling Unique Properties
Thesa, we use to live in the Sierras in Groveland, CA. We had an acre that backed up to 160 acre ranch and was wild. We could hear the kills at night from a pair of cougars that lived in the area. Neighbors would see the animals occasional. We had a creek that ran through our property and they traveled through the community in this creek. They never attacked anyone, however cats sometimes went missing. We always kept our dogs inside and walked them. We also carried "pepper spray" and both of us a hunting knife on our belts. We educated ourselves on what to do in an attack and the behavior of the cougar. They are tracking the herd and looking for the smallest and weakest member of the herd. Your dogs are not protection and most likely the target. It is good to think through what you would do if you are hiking or not able to get to safety.  
Jan 22, 2008 11:46 PM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

Thesa, I'm so glad your story had a happy ending.  I'm also glad you put happy ending in your title because when I read about the dog I knew what was coming. 

As the city is encroaching on our neighborhood we are losing lots of cats; we are fairly sure it is to coyotes.  Their territory is getting smaller and we think they are coming in to our subdivision to feed.  I expect as we keep growing  that problem will be resolved although it will probably be the next subdivision over that is dealing with it. 

Jan 23, 2008 04:52 AM
Lisa Hill
Florida Property Experts - Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Beach Real Estate
Geez Thesa. Do you live with the Waltons? LOL! J/K We may not have cougars. But when driving in rural areas I've had to stop the car and wait for a huge gator to cross the road and one time, a big bear, out for a little stroll, not to mention the water moccasin in my garage...
Jan 23, 2008 08:56 AM
Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE
Now that's some good advice....don't want to get into that situation.
Jan 23, 2008 03:22 PM
Jeff Belonger
Social Media - Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc - Cherry Hill, NJ
The FHA Expert - FHA Loans - FHA mortgages - USDA loans - VA Loans

Thesa... I agree, a semi close encounter. I have heard some stories from Eastern PA, that would be about an hour from me, having lions and such roaming around.

Besides, we had an alligator in the neighborhood this past summer.  It was found out that someone locally had it as a pet and then it grew too large. They finally found it about 2 months later...  but many people around town were somewhat scared.

jeff belonger
Jan 23, 2008 03:58 PM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon

Steve - it is common here when a subdivision expands to what was untouched before - but this home is in an area where homes have been for over 30 years - my guess is the cold temps we have had are causing animals to burrow down and so food is scarce.

Joanne - I saw a Bob Cat on my property last year and have seen Cougars in the past but they generally are not hanging around the homes.

Karen - I bet it was - I saw one about 7 years ago in our back yard, it was a mama and her cub - scared me pretty good.

Joseph - me too - thanks for stopping by.

Jan 23, 2008 04:26 PM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon

Dan - I hope Sandra does not read this between our cold temps which was 16 below this morning for REALTORS® tour - and this she will never come see me :o)

Jennifer - I have a friend that won't go because she is afraid of bears. Really it is pretty odd for this to happen.

Sandra - I just told Dan I was wishing you would not read this.. lol

Neal - you have Gators though and snakes - I will take a Cougar any day :o)

Jan 23, 2008 04:29 PM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon

Karen - my family teases me because I am always looking for bear - have yet to find one in the wild -

Jeanean - and people wonder why I pack a pistol when I am in the woods or showing property out in the woods - you make my case for me.  Thanks for stopping by.

Marchel - it was a happy ending - you may receive a call from clients of mine this next week - they are starting to get some good bites on their home here.

 

Jan 23, 2008 04:31 PM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon

Lisa - I think the Waltons is actually a good example of my area.  Homes are typically over an acre apart and there are areas you can drive for miles without seeing another car or human... so all joking aside - I do live in the sticks.

Jeff - I am afraid of alligators - saw them in December - did you know that crocs have an vertebra in their spine to allow them to turn their head to bite you.... lol

 

Jan 23, 2008 04:35 PM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon
Sally  - Life in the wilds - lol thanks for your faithfulness
Jan 23, 2008 04:37 PM
Jeff Belonger
Social Media - Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc - Cherry Hill, NJ
The FHA Expert - FHA Loans - FHA mortgages - USDA loans - VA Loans

No, thank you Crocodile Thesa Dundee....   lol   And don't they say that you learn something once a day?  Well, I am done today... lol

jeff belonger
Jan 24, 2008 12:58 AM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

Wow Thesa...

I would just love to encounter a Cougar.

Nice kitty...Good kitty...Please don't turn me into "Cat Food"...Nice kitty...Good kitty :)

TLW...ROAR!  

Jan 24, 2008 09:10 AM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon

Jeff - you crack me up

TLW - kitty, kitty, kitty - they usually stay away from people but their scream can be heard a long ways away - they sound like a woman screaming

Jan 24, 2008 04:29 PM