Joshua Dillen/Baker City Herald: Kari Carter says she saw a cougar in this field near her home at 4000 Indiana Ave., near the city's water reservoirs, about 9 a.m. this morning.

Baker City Police are searching part of southwest Baker City this morning after a resident reported seeing a cougar in the area.

Kari Carter, who lives at 4000 Indiana Ave., said she saw the cougar just before 9 a.m. today and called the police.

“I looked out the window and watched it walk onto Boulder Lane, and into the neighbor’s yard,” she said.

Carter saw the animal disappear into the sagebrush after that.

She said it was a fairly small cougar.

Dale Robertson, who lives near 17th and Indiana, said his dogs “went pretty wild” just before dawn.

He wasn’t sure if it was the cougar that got them so excited.

Three tracking dogs searched the area this morning but found no sign of a cougar, Police Lt. Kirk McCormick said.

Police received several cougar sighting reports in late February, but subsequent searches, including ones with tracking hounds, failed to find the big cat.

Officers are searching in the area of Indiana Avenue, Reservoir Road and Grace Street, in the southwest corner of the city.

Police received several cougar sighting reports in late February, but subsequent searches, including ones with tracking hounds, failed to find the big cat.

Anyone who sees a cougar should call police dispatch at 541-523-6415.