Conservation officers on alert after cougar reportedly attacks 4 pets in Sooke, Metchosin

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) is investigating four recent incidents of cougar attacks on pets in the East Sooke and Metchosin areas of Vancouver Island.

The BCCOS is describing those attacks, which occurred over the past two weeks, as highly concerning.

"It’s happening during the day and it’s happening in people's backyards, often when there’s humans present," said Mark Kissinger, acting sergeant for Island Zone Conservation Officer Service for B.C.

The attacks have all been on family dogs. Three of the dogs survived, but during the latest attack on Wednesday, that dog did not survive.

"We did try to track that cougar on the last one, but we weren’t successful," said Kissinger.

The conservation service says it's taking these attacks very seriously.

It has now set up a number of different measures to catch the nuisance animal, including placing trail cameras and a live trap. Tracking hounds are also on standby, according to the BCCOS.

"Cougars you don’t usually see in Metchosin, so when they start showing up and attacking animals in the backyard, that’s a pretty serious change in behaviour," said John Rann, Mayor of Metchosin.

The mayor says reports of bears, wolves and now cougars attacking livestock and dogs seem to be on the rise. He is extremely concerned about these latest incidents.