# Golden Retriever saves 11-year-old B.C. boy from cougar attack



## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100103/national/cougar_attack_thwarted


_BOSTON BAR, B.C. - A British Columbia family's golden retriever is being credited with saving an 11-year-old boy from a cougar. _

_The RCMP say the boy encountered the cougar on Saturday in his family's backyard in the small community of Boston Bar, about 200 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. _

_Sgt. Peter Thiessen says the cougar charged across the yard, prompting the dog to step in and attack the large cat. _

_The family called the police, and a Mountie arrived a minute later to find the cougar chewing on the dog's neck. The officer shot the cougar several times, killing the animal. The golden retriever survived the confrontation with minor injuries, and the boy escaped unhurt. 
_


http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/01/03/bc-boston-bar-cougar-attack.html


A golden retriever is being credited with saving an 11-year-old boy from a charging cougar in Boston Bar, B.C. 
Police say the boy was gathering firewood in his backyard at about 5 p.m. PT Saturday when a cougar wandered onto the property.
When the large cat started charging across the yard towards the boy, his dog stepped between them to fight off the cougar.
When the RCMP arrived on scene minutes later, they found the cougar under the back porch of the house, chewing on the dog's neck.







_The golden retriever, credited with saving an 11-year-old boy's life, walked away with minor injuries._ _(RCMP handout)_










_An RCMP officer shot the cougar, killing it instantly._ _(RCMP handout)_
The dog survived the attack with minor injures. The boy was not injured.
Boston Bar is located roughly midway between Vancouver and Kamloops.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

And I thought Goldens were useless counter surfing lumps.. Atta boy!


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

Nice story, just too bad the owner didn't own a gun to relieve the dog sooner. What if that RCMP was 5 minutes away?


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Michelle Kehoe said:


> Nice story, just too bad the owner didn't own a gun to relieve the dog sooner. What if that RCMP was 5 minutes away?


I guess Cougars need to eat too .. :-\"

I find it sad that the cougar didn't just turn and run when the dog engaged it must've been desperate to eat something. I suspect it was a young inexperienced cat to put it self into a situation like that and get itself shot.


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

Doubt it would have mattered if he ran. I'm betting a hunting party would have been sent out for him and possibly killed more cats, since he almost got a child.

Mountain Lions are one of my favorite animals, sure they gotta eat but they are far from endangered and need to be managed when living/hunting in the wrong areas. Already the yotes, wolves and bears are fearing man less. We have more a than a few lion accidents yearly in CA.


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