“In this instance, this little girl did nothing wrong,” said Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman Staci Lehman. “It happened so quickly, and there’s nothing she could have done to prevent it.”
If attacked by a cougar, you should yell at the animal and try to make yourself look bigger, she said. If it attacks, stay on your feet and fight back.
“Do not turn around. Don’t take your eyes off the animal,” Lehman added. “Don’t run.”
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This story corrects that Fruitland, Washington, is in the northeastern part of the state, not the northwestern part of the state
This article originally appeared on APNews.com.