Possible bobcat sighting puts NH school on alert

MANCHESTER, N.H. (WHDH) -- A a possible bobcat sighting in a New Hampshire backyard earlier this week put a nearby school on alert.

The sighting prompted officials at Henry J. McLaughlin Middle School to send out a notice ahead of a school dance scheduled for Friday evening. Officials asked parents to pick their children up from the dance as a precaution.

“Just very low to the ground, and it was just kind of very muscular type of animal. It’s not like a typical cat and it was just kind of going very slowly,” said Keith Raho.

Raho was sitting in his backyard Wednesday at dusk hoping to spot some deer.

“I saw something coming out of the woods. That it looked bigger than usual. It wasn’t like a house cat or something. It looked strange,” Raho said.

Raho immediately grabbed his camera and recorded his quick encounter.

“And walked where it’s very dark all the way across toward the bamboo is to the far right of the bamboo,” Raho said.

Raho said Animal Control told him it’s hard really is through the video, but it may be a mountain lion.

It was enough for officials at the middle school to send out a notice for an outdoor school dance.

“We knew we were having this dance tonight. The Animal Control said that there should be absolutely no problem because they are solitary animals. They do not like noise and with all of this going on it’s probably not anywhere near here,” said Principal Barry Albert, McLaughlin Middle School.

“There is a lot of protected area that bears and moose and deer can be seen…It’s not something you typically see in a city in New Hampshire,” Raho said.

The school dance ended Friday evening without incident.