BC

A small dog was mauled by a cougar on southern Vancouver Island Tuesday.

The Lakeland Terrier named Rupert is owned by Joanne Green, who lives on a rural property in East Sooke, east of Victoria.

She says she let Rupert and her other dogs out Tuesday morning and went back into the house.

About 10 minutes later she heard one of the dogs scream and went outside to see a cougar running into the bushes, with Rupert lying on the ground.

The terrier was taken to a Victoria veterinary hospital in critical condition with trauma and puncture wounds to the head.

Conservation officers did a sweep of the area, but didn't find the cougar. (CFAX)