LAKE COWICHAN—The father of a 7-year-old boy who was attacked by a cougar in a small lakeside community on Vancouver Island is crediting his wife’s quick actions for his son’s survival.
Kevin Bromley says his son Zach was playing in the family’s backyard in Lake Cowichan, B.C., on Friday, March 31, when a cougar leaped toward him but banged into a fence before clawing its way through.
Kevin says his wife Chelsea heard the fence rattle and looked out to see the cougar trying to drag her son away.
She jumped down the back stairs and started trying to pry the animal’s jaws open, crying out to God for help, before it released its grip on his left arm and ran away.
Kevin says Zach is recovering at his grandparents’ house with gashes to his head, neck, and arm.
Mountain Lion Encounters
The Mason County Sheriff’s office announced they had received a call on March 25 about a mountain lion, also known as a cougar, that was responsible for an attack on a beach north of Hoodsport.The mountain lion attacked, killed, and ate a dog in Washington state while it was on an afternoon walk with its owner along the beach.
Reports of the incident stirred plenty of discussion on local social media, with the shooting of the cougar proving divisive.
“Why did they ‘have to?,’” wrote one person on Facebook. “I thought only animals who attack humans have to be euthanized. Sad for the family who lost their pet and for the cougar as well.”
However, some defended the actions of the police.
“Thats a good sized healthy cat and the point being it attacked without fear of a human and for all if you that have never been attacked or stalked by one hush your mouths. You have no idea what fear is. Thank you law enforcement,” wrote another Facebook user.
According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), a woman noticed her dog fighting outside her home in the small town of Mackay on the morning of Jan. 30.
Assuming it was another dog, she quickly intervened.
“Her husband responded and quickly dispatched the mountain lion as she held on to it.”
According to the IDFG, Idaho has an abundant and sustainable mountain lion population.
“Stop or back away slowly, if you can do it safely,” said the CWP advice. “Running may stimulate a lion’s instinct to chase and attack. Face the lion and stand upright.”
Never approach a lion, especially one with kittens.
If the lion behaves aggressively, the advice is to throw stones, branches or whatever is to hand—but “without crouching down or turning your back. ”
“Fight back if a lion attacks you. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools, and their bare hands successfully. We recommend targeting the eyes and nose as these are sensitive areas.”
