Cougar shot dead near Kelowna

A cougar has been shot dead by conservation officers after it was found on a tree in a residential neighbourhood just outside Kelowna.

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A man living on Shaunna Road says he was woken up by his dog barking and then saw the large cat in his yard.

Ken Owens, a conservation officer in Kelowna, says officers decided to euthanize the animal after recent reports of a cougar behaving aggressively in the area.

"We had had a report of a cougar that was attempting to kill a domestic dog in the area," he said. "So based upon that and a situation that we were dealing with this morning, we humanely euthanized the cougar."

Owens says pet owners must remember to keep their animals inside during dawn, dusk and night in areas where cougars have been seen, and to report any sightings to the Conservation Officer Service.

In May, B.C. conservation officers shot four young cougars that had no fear of people, including one in a Coquitlam park and three more near the southern Interior town of Castlegar.