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 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.
For further information, please check out my favorite Central Oregon News Source.