During a live, morning news segment filmed in Utah, a slinky, long-tailed mammal is shown sauntering past a ballcap-clad reporter.
"What you're seeing is actually a dog coming into our live shot. I think it's a dog – I'm not sure. But, anyway, there's some sort of creature below me…," the reporter stated.
But many social media users who reshared the video claimed that the animal seen in the live shot was not a dog at all, but rather a mountain lion (aka cougar). Take this post, for example, which was shared to X (formerly Twitter) on Jan. 23, 2024, (archived here). At the time of this publication, it had received more than 25,000 views:
Reporter dismisses mountain lion for dog. Yikes. pic.twitter.com/VHoIe26Yc4
— Noble Ron (@perry_ron) January 23, 2024
"Morgan, I hope that's a dog too and if not, go get in the truck," an on-screen anchor responded.
To determine whether the animal was a friend or foe, Snopes reached out to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). In response to our inquiry, Faith Heaton Jolley, a spokesperson for the agency, "confirmed that the animal in that video was a dog after we did some further investigating."
Jolley referred our newsroom to Scott Root, Utah DWR conservation outreach manager, who noted that the "'cougar dog' was indeed a dog with a longer tail." Root, who also sent Snopes a photograph of the dog in question, said that his department was notified by the dog's owner at the time the video was originally recorded in 2018.
A keyword search of Google News using the phrase, "Utah mountain lion dog reporter" (archived here) returned dozens of news reports, many of which were originally published in 2018 by mainstream publications such as the New York Post, CBS News, Fox News, Inside Edition, and People.
Root identified the reporter as Morgan Saxton, a journalist whose X profile noted she reported in Salt Lake City at the time of this publication. A search through Saxton's bio page revealed that she had originally posted the video to X on Oct. 3, 2018:
In a follow-up post published that same day, Saxton wrote that Utah DWR was working to identify the animal:
CONFIRMED: Just spoke woth @UtahDWR They believe it's a dog, based on the paw prints ? Thanks to the guy who came out to check on things after getting an early morning wake-up call ? https://t.co/56odDdMO3i
— Morgan Saxton (@MorganSaxtonTV) October 3, 2018
Photographs of paw prints taken at the scene of the live shot showed the animal's print size compared with a human hand:
CANINE OR COUGAR? This is the paw print found in the mud after my live shot. @UtahDNR says the foothills are know for cougar sightings AND the way it walked it could have easily been mistaken for one. BUT they are 99% sure it was a DOG that stole the show! pic.twitter.com/KbTxFMVkqT
— Morgan Saxton (@MorganSaxtonTV) October 3, 2018
Saxton interviewed Root at the time, adding that he said the proof was in the paw print:
Just wrapped up an interview with @UtahDNR - Scott tells me I had every right to think it was a cougar coming toward me. He's a biology expert and didn't know for sure (based on the video) what animal I could be. He says the proof is in a paw print ? #2NewsAM pic.twitter.com/MFn4PAXDCf
— Morgan Saxton (@MorganSaxtonTV) October 3, 2018
Finally, Saxton posted a photograph of the cougar-like canine that she said was sent to her by its owner:
MYSTERY SOLVED: The owner of this camera-friendly fella just sent us a picture of their pup who made it's way into my live shot this morning. Come back anytime! #talkofthetown pic.twitter.com/CyECb9qKKQ
— Morgan Saxton (@MorganSaxtonTV) October 3, 2018
If you happen to find yourself in contact with an actual mountain lion, Utah DWR recommend a few tips to keep yourself safe:
- Never run from a cougar, since that could trigger the cougar's instincts to chase.
- Maintain eye contact.
- Pick up children and pets or keep them very close.
- Stand up tall.
- Do not crouch or squat.
- Make yourself look bigger by raising and waving your arms or jacket above your head.
- Talk firmly in a loud voice, back away slowly and leave the area.
- Fight back if you are attacked! Protect your head and neck.
- If you are aggressive enough, the cougar will probably flee.