Dog Dies After Fight With Cougar In Rural Area Near Cascades

RONALD, WA - A dog got into a fight with a cougar along a hiking trail near Cle Elum Lake around 8 p.m. Monday, according to the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office. In light of the unusual encounter, the county is warning hikers to use caution while walking in the area.

According to police, Shannon Cernick, of Ronald, was walking with her dog along a local trail when they encountered a cougar. The dog was off-leash and ran toward the cougar and began fighting with it. Cernick ran to get help from her neighbor, Edward Bent, who fired a shot at the cougar.

The cougar ran off and likely was not hit by the bullet, but the dog died of its injuries. State wildlife officials responded to the scene, but were not able to locate the cougar.

The area where the fight happened is north of I-90 between Cle Elum Lake and the city of Cle Elum. Cougars are common in the Eastern Cascades and across the state, but are usually very reclusive. A cougar has not killed a human in Washington state since 1924, although there have been 15 non-fatal human-cougar encounters over the last 100 years.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife offers a number of tips on how to prevent cougar encounters - and what to do if you come face-to-face with one.

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