British Columbia

Collie helped save boy from cougar attack by jumping on big cat's back, conservation officers say

A group of women and children out for a walk near Lillooet, B.C., earlier this week managed to fight off a cougar that was attacking a 10-year-old boy — with some help from a brave border collie.

10-year-old victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries; officers are searching for cougar

An adult male cougar in captivity. (Geoffrey Kuchera/Shutterstock)

A group of women and children out for a walk near Lillooet, B.C., earlier this week managed to fight off a cougar that was attacking a 10-year-old boy — with some help from a brave border collie.

According to a Facebook post from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, two women and four children between the ages of 10 and 13 were walking the trails around a remote family cabin near Marshall Lake on Monday afternoon when the attack happened.

The 10-year-old boy had run ahead of the group when a cougar suddenly dropped out of a tree and swiped at him, knocking him to the ground and then scratching his back and chest.

Conservation officers say a border collie that was with the group jumped on the cougar's back while the humans screamed and threw rocks and sticks until the big cat ran away.

A nearby road worker helped give first aid to the boy, and he was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Conservation officers are now trying to track the cougar with the help of dogs.

According to WildSafeBC, if you encounter a cougar in the wild you should stay calm, don't run, and immediately pick up small children.