Polo horse dead - Did cougar do it?

George Dill’s most valuable polo horse was killed Friday night, Oct. 20. Speaking from Australia, Dill said the horse’s neck was chewed off, that neighbors saw a cougar and his wife, Rhoda, saw cougar paw prints in the mud.

Dill, owner of the La Conner Polo Club, said his horse was “worth thirty grand.” It was attacked and killed on his farm on La Conner Whitney Road about 1.3 miles north of town.

Department of Fish and Wildlife staff from La Conner investigated the next morning. Sargent Shawnn Vincent said the evidence was inconclusive. Several times he repeated that he could neither confirm nor deny the attack was by a cougar. Heavy rain had washed away the paw prints, there was no scat and the sighting description from Dill’s staff did not include the tell-tale long tail of a cougar.

Rhoda Dill’s photo is gruesome, showing blood and muscle, the side of the neck having been eaten away.

Vincent said it looked “like someone had chewed on its neck.” He also said, “there was not much to go on.” He later added “It was something a couple of coyotes could do.”

Vincent said his staff “found nothing specific to a cougar. What a witness saw was not consistent with a cougar.” He called the siting “possible,” saying “nothing was confirmed.” He noted there were no pictures of a cougar.

Scott McKnight, a neighbor, agreed that “a couple of coyotes would have trouble taking down a horse,” but like Sargent Vincent thought that a pack of hungry coyotes could. He confirmed that coyote prints were around the horse the day after its death. He echoed the Fish and Wildlife staff’s position: “There is nothing obvious on the wound,” no tell-tale cougar claw or teeth marks.

Around 5 p.m. Monday, Oct 30 the two teenage sons of Carlos, Dill’s farm hand, saw what they believed was a cougar in the Brussel sprouts field north of Dill’s place. Officer Clint Lucci from the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Mount Vernon, came out. Dill also called McKnight, an experienced hunter. No evidence of a cougar was found.

Dill, now back in La Conner, said the officer was returning on Oct. 31. Dill has installed a powerful light with a motion sensor in a location he believes the cougar could pass. McKnight said the Fish and Wildlife staff would bring dogs when they came out.

Vincent noted the area’s terrain, open farm fields, is not cougar territory. A cougar here would be the first west of I-5. Previous nearby sitings have been around Bow and Alger, east of the interstate.

A cougar attack on horses about two miles north of Sedro-Woolley was reported in July. Then, Vincent said, it was apparent from examining scratches on the horses that a cougar had been present. That horse died of a heart attack.

Fish and Wildlife staff did not find similar marks on Dill’s horse.

Vincent projected any cougar in the region would be immature, seeking new territory, having been pushed out of its pack.

Dill expressed his concern for the safety of children and animals if cougars are in the area.

Fish and Wildlife staff recommends conflicts with cougars can be avoided by not leaving children unattended outdoors, keeping pets inside at night, not feeding pets or wildlife outside, keeping livestock in secure pens, securing garbage to avoid attracting small animals that may be prey for cougars and keeping walkways well lit.

Anyone seeing a cougar chasing domestic animals or finding evidence of a potential attack should call 911 and ask for a Fish and Wildlife officer to come out.

Dill said, “they can’t confirm it, but I am worried about the danger to my horses. There could be a repeat performance.” He is concerned about the risk a cougar poses to people and animals. “It is the safety of the community and their animals and kids” that troubles him. “We got a safety issue,” he said, also noting the emotional and financial “loss factors.”

“Neighbors are asking ‘What can I do?’” to protect themselves, worried that their horses are in danger said Dill.

“I don’t think it is over or under stated. Community awareness is needed. It’s a safety factor,” Dill said.

Dill and Vincent agree that if a cougar is in the area, people must take precaution to protect themselves, their children, and their animals.