Cowichan Valley woman who fended off cougar with Metallica song, earns attention from band

CHEK
WatchIt was a little story brought to you here on CHEK News last week - and it's since, gone viral around the world. A Cowichan Valley woman played the noisiest music she had on her phone to fend off a stalking cougar. As Kori Sidaway tells us, it's even caught the attention of the band behind the life-saving music

Tunes are an unusual way to fend off an animal.

“I don’t know if outdoor stores want to pull all the bear spray off their shelves and recommend that, but hey it worked for me,” said Denise Gallant.

But for Dee Gallant, metal music, may have saved her life.

On a hike with her pup Murphy in the Cowichan Valley last week, Gallant couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.

When she turned around, she saw a large male cougar stalking her.

“This is the first time, one actually locked eyes with me, and was coming towards me, and was coming for me,” said Gallant.

And after her polite reasoning, calling the large feline a “bad kitty”, didn’t work, she reached for the big guns.

“I pulled up Metallica ‘Don’t Tread on Me’, and I thought, that’s the perfect message I want to send this kitty,” said Gallant.

“I think it was three or four notes, the first intro there, and he was just gone!”

Metallica, Gallant says, saved her life.

And the story, first brought to you by CHEK News a week ago, has since taken on a life of its own.

Being picked up internationally by publishers like Vice, Billboard, and NBC.

“It’s crazy, I’ve been getting interviews from all over the world, getting calls from places I’ve never even heard of before,” said Gallant.

The morning, though, getting a call she never expected.

“I got a message from Metallica’s liaison, that the band was going to reach out to me, so, here’s hoping!” said Gallant.

“I’m going to thank them for saving my life.”

And just after lunch on Friday, who else but the lead singer of Metallica, James Hetfield, popping up in her phone.

“This is just been a ride that I haven’t expected, since the beginning,” said Gallant.

As for hiking?

“This is Vancouver Island, so hiding from a cougar is like staying inside because it’s raining, you’ll never go anywhere,” said Gallant.

A little kitty won’t stop this island girl.

Kori SidawayKori Sidaway

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