Helper dog killed protecting Prince George man from cougar
David Wylie, Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, February 01, 2008
Blackie spent her life helping others, and died in one last act of self-sacrifice.
The nine-year-old black dog - who worked accompanying a young autistic boy, and understood commands in both French and English - helped save a Prince George man from a hungry cougar.
On Thursday, Wayne Krasnesky, 50, was out walking near his brother's house with two of his dogs - a small one named Tobin, and Blackie, a Labrador retriever who wanted to stretch her arthritic legs.
"We turned a little blind corner and there we were, face-to-face with this cougar," he said, adding the big cat starting growling rather than retreating.
"I froze. I was simply terrified. I really thought, 'I'm done,'" he said.
At that moment, the old dog "mustered up" the strength and - "knowing full well 'I'm not winning this one'" - attacked the cougar, he said.
Krasnesky picked up Tobin and ran, as Blackie howled with pain as the cougar clamped on the dog's throat and shook her. "That's the thing I'd like to forget, but I can't get that out of my mind," he said.
"I didn't sleep last night. I'm thinking there's a good chance she saved my butt. There's nothing in God's creation I could have done to help her."
After the attack, conservation officers searched the property and found the female cougar. They shot and killed the animal.
Krasnesky's nephew, Stephane Patenaude, 14, said Blackie was trained as a puppy to understand commands in French and English so she could help his 10-year-old autistic brother, David.
He's convinced Blackie saved his uncle's life.
"She bought him enough time to get away," said Patenaude. "If she didn't go (my uncle) wouldn't be here. I'm sure that she saved his life."
The cougar was very skinny, and likely came to the property to hunt the fowl in the family's pond, he added.
Patenaude said the attack has left Krasnesky extremely shaken. "Now he's almost scared to go outside," said Patenaude.