Here, kitty: Police expect house cat, get cougar

rb wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Cheryl P. wrote:
jmcquown wrote:

I suspect the police of a major city like Chicago are less familiar
with the procedures for dealing with an unexpected and possibly
dangerous wild animal than are the police of a more rural area.

Cheryl

I'm not familiar with dealing with wild cats either, but even I know
to call animal control. There are alligators where I am now. The
video at the time didn't show any dangerous actions...the big cat
was just walking around. Startled a few people, sure. Didn't hurt
or attack anyone. Then the big bad cops shot it. Arrrgh.

Jill

What if the wandering cougar found a kid or even an adult - as
Cougars/Mountain Lions can take down an adult - and decided it was
lunch and grabbed it what then? Understand now why if tranquilizers
are not readily available soon enough why the city cops shot it?
There is such a thing as public safety you know. In the county where
I live lone or vulnerable hikers in the mountains or even kids/small
animals in areas in city/rural areas adjoining the mountain lions
territory that are vulnerable are attacked by mountain lions often
enough since we are encroaching on their territory not vice versa.

This was a situation (according to the news story and video) where there was
plenty of time to call animal control. The cop didn't just wander up and
say "Oh, a couger". Shop owners had called, there were pedestrians around.
I saw the video. The cat wasn't harming anyone or anything. Killing it was
unnecessary. Trust me.

Jill

rb wrote:
jmcquown wrote:

I'm glad they were able to relocate the cougar. At least they didn't
gun it down like the police in Chicago did when that one was spotted
wandering around some shops on a city street. Friggin cops never
heard of tranquilizer darts? Grrrrrr.

What if the wandering cougar found a kid or even an adult - as
Cougars/Mountain Lions can take down an adult - and decided it was
lunch and grabbed it what then? Understand now why if tranquilizers
are not readily available soon enough why the city cops shot it?
There is such a thing as public safety you know. In the county where
I live lone hikers in the mountains or even kids/small animals in
areas in city/rural areas adjoining the mountain lions territory that
are vulnerable are attacked by mountain lions often enough.


Again, I saw the video. It was just wandering around looking in some shop
windows. There was time enough for the news media to get there so there
certainly was time for the cops to call animal control or the zoo for help.
There was no reason for them to shoot it. Comprende?

Jill