Residents advised to be cautious outdoors after cougar spotted near Dodge Center
[Dodge County Sheriff's Office, Instagram]
Officials are advising the public to be cautious outdoors after a cougar was spotted near Dodge Center this weekend.
According to a social media post from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, deputies received a report of a cougar sighting just south of 620th Street/County Road R and east of 190th Avenue/County Road 7.
A resident in the area said the cougar was walking along the treeline near the resident’s property. The resident said the cougar seemed to know it was being watched and didn’t seem scared of the resident’s presence but that the cougar didn’t seem interested in approaching either.
A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer also responded to the area to document the sighting and said the cougar may be one to two years old.
The DNR and Dodge County Sheriff’s Office reported the cougar is likely not a public safety threat, but advised those in the area to "err on the side of caution," and to be careful with pets and young children unattended outside.
Those who see the cougar are advised not to approach it. If they can do so safely, those who see the cougar are asked to photograph it and contact the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office at 507-635-6200. The sheriff’s office will be forwarding all reports to the DNR.