Chris Stedile
Castlegar News
After two separate bobcat attacks Wednesday (Jan. 14) evening, pet owners are advised to keep a close watch on their companions when letting them outside.
Bobcats are not known to engage humans but house pets are a different story.
Between 5:30 and 6 p.m. residents living across the way from Tim Horton’s in Castlegar found a bobcat on their property.
The large feline was attacking their pet cat. The cat’s owner swiftly fended off the bobcat but the pet did eventually succumb to its injuries.
Another bobcat attack was spotted at 11:30 p.m. on Greystone Place. This time a dog was the victim.
The animal has not succumbed to any injuries and is currently doing fine.
Whether these two attacks were from the same bobcat could not be confirmed.
Conservation Officers did set up a live trap but found nothing after several days.
Conservation Officer, Ben Beetlestone said the attacks were the result of “wrong place, wrong time.”
The officer said bobcats don’t target pets but things such as birdfeeders can draw the animals in. If a pet happens to be nearby, the bobcat doesn’t know any different and may attack. “Bobcats are not a safety issue to the general public,” he said.