Deschutes County Sheriff Larry Blanton says with 7000 cougars in Oregon, it’s not surprising to hear of many cougars encounters in Central Oregon. Recently, five cougars in the Sisters area were killing pets and acting too aggressive towards humans. So wildlife officials decided they needed to put down the five cougars. Blanton says its not an easy decision to do that, but public safety comes first: "So we whenever possible avoid doing that. But if there are cougars in a residential area where there's a threat to other animals or people we will address that situation and deal with it as we deem appropriate." Other cougar sightings over the past year were reported in Crooked River Ranch, Awbrey Butte and Deschutes River Woods. One cougar was trapped and killed in the Deschutes River Woods case last May.