Pasco "cougar" probably just a dog or house cat

PASCO, Wash. (AP) — State wildlife officials say this week's cougar sighting in Pasco was probably just a dog, large house cat or a coyote. The cougar was reported in rural Franklin County on Friday and near a high school in Pasco on Thursday. But officers from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife have found no physical evidence a cougar was roaming the area. Wildlife officer Kerry McLerran says the majority of cougar calls are unfounded. Nine times out of 10 it isn't a cougar. He says cougars are elusive and especially avoid contact with humans. Even in the wild, it's rare to see them. Since 2005, just one cougar sighting in Franklin County has been confirmed. ___ Information from: Tri-City Herald, http://www.tri-cityherald.com

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