Criticism increasing over cougar shot and killed at South Health Campus

[Flabbibulin]

This story seems to be getting a lot of attention tonight. Fish and Wildlife officers shot and killed a cougar that was camped out for 3 hours at the South Health Campus today. Pretty tough video to watch and not really sure what to think. Seems most people think they should have put more effort into safely removing the animal. The reason this will get a lot of attention of course is because of the video- which clearly shows the animal suffering. Seems the defense for not tranquilizing the animal is that it was in tall grass and there was no guarantee they could successfully put it to sleep before it ran off.

Fairly tough video to watch-

NSFW!

http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/09/18...lgary-hospital

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/ca...393/story.html

[Dan02]

I'd just like to take the time to thank for officers for dealing with the situation. The only "F#cking goofs" I hear are the ones holed up 3 stories above hiding behind their phones and a pane of glass. Maybe next time they should put their big boy pants on and deal with it themselves.

[Trailer Fire]

I live in a very mountainous region of BC with a fairly high cougar population. From what I have witnessed over the years, relocation programs don't work. The cat always ends up finding its way back and eating a few more pets along the way. Its sad but if a cougar moves in your best option, in most cases, is to destroy it.

[Shnabdabber]

Fish cop with the handgun will have some ringing in his ear for a while at 1:23. Directly beside the muzzle of that scattergun, ouch.

[dammage79]

^Truth. Cougars are territorial and will stick around especially if there's easy prey (pets, in Canmore case, rabbit's) in the area. Not to mention they're long term stalkers. You may not see them for weeks but they'll track you and pounce when the time is right.

Can't risk that in a populated area. Too bad it had to be done but...it had to be done.

[Igottago]

Seems like they couldn't take a risk in a populated area, as dammage79 said.
Sad to see that happen but people come before animals, especially animals that are capable of attacking and seriously injuring people. Personally, having no experience with the protocol for tranquilizing and removing animals, I'd give the officers the benefit of the doubt, unless someone educates me otherwise.

[CampbellsTransgressions]

Hospital

Cougar camping outside.

Yeah I don't blame them. Don't know what else they could have done... release it into the interior?

[Drury18]

I also think location had alot to do with the decision to kill rather then tranquilize.

Tranquilizers do not take effect immediately, it takes a minute or two before the drug starts to kick in and sedate the animal, especially one as large as a cougar. However, the shot would be felt instantly and would probably spook and agitate the animal which might cause them to lunge or attack (a common cougar behaviour, they are more prone to attack then say a bear) for the minute or two before the drug kicks in. In a populated area, a minute or two could be enough for an angry animal to harm or kill a person.

It's tragic that an animal was killed, but I do believe the actions were appropriate. Public safety does need to be considered before an animal's safety and this situation left them with very few options. It's easy to look back in hindsight and pick apart the actions, but they only have a few minutes to make a decision in the best interest of everyone involved. The interested unfortunately were not favorable to the animal this time, they needed to incapacitate it quickly so that it was no longer a threat.

It's funny though how everyone seems to overlook the dozens of animals that are safely and effectively tranquilized in the city and moved to a different location when there is no or little threat to public safety. This will be remembered far more then the number of times they have tranquilized and removed an animal and released them safely without any incident.

[CalgaryFan1988]

I have more of a problem with them taking 3 shots to put it down. Obvious to me that it should be put down, I just hate seeing things suffer.

I have hunted since I was 12, just think the right gun should be used and would rather it be one head shot and done, Amateurs.

[Drury18]

This is Fish and Wildlife's comment on the situation:

http://albertajsg.wordpress.com/2014...ampaign=buffer

The decision to euthanize a cougar on the grounds of the South Health Campus in Calgary was a difficult one to make, and it was made in the interest of public safety. Large predators that enter an urban area can pose a significant public safety concern.

Officers would have liked to tranquilize the animal. However, tranquilizing cougars can be very risky, especially in a situation like this with the adrenaline in the cougar likely to cancel the effects of the tranquilizer. Even in normal circumstances, the drug doesn’t take effect immediately, and in a situation like today, it can make it worse—by making the cougar very agitated when hit by the dart. This, combined with the speed and agility of cougars, made it a high risk to the people nearby.

The cougar was right next to the hospital entrance, and officers had to act quickly to mitigate the public safety concern before the animal escaped. It is unfortunate it ended this way, and the officers had to make a very difficult choice with public safety as their first priority.

[Regorium]

Why couldn't they just have shot it in the leg?

[Street Pharmacist]

I think you're joking, and I hope you are...

[pylon]

The people criticizing this are ignoramuses. Firstly, the LAST thing a fish and wildlife officer wants to do, is put down an animal like this. They are there just as much to protect the animals as they are people. Secondly, this animal is camped out in front of a bloody hospital. Yeah, great. Someone drags in a sick, weak or bloodied individual through that front door, and good luck if that cougar pounces on them. If you were in 100% health you've got a life threatening battle on your hands.

I feel terrible for the animal, but those criticizing the actions of these officers need to stop secreting ignorance out of their stupid face holes. These officers had no choice. Had that cat mauled and killed someone, those same numb skulls would be irate they didn't kill it.

[Sr. Mints]

I just don't like it.

They knew the cougar was there, the hospital was on lockdown, a few dozen officers (guns) were on scene. I would have preferred if another solution were at least attempted first.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I have more of a problem with them taking 3 shots to put it down. Obvious to me that it should be put down, I just hate seeing things suffer.

I have hunted since I was 12, just think the right gun should be used and would rather it be one head shot and done, Amateurs.

Shooting it in the head is the absolute most amateur thing you could ever do that close to the animal. Hunters almost always shoot for the heart. You aim for a tiny target like the head, and graze it, or miss, you will have a faceful of angry cat from that distance. I have a hard time believing you have been hunting long if you think a head shot would be the right plan of action. Unless of course the hunting you are talking about is the Big Buck Hunter machine at Chuck e Cheese.

And there is no more foolproof or effective gun at that distance than a shotgun. They were not killing this thing to eat it or stuff it. They had to use the most effective, and high percentage means to kill the animal. The animal suffering a few extra seconds in this scenario is not a consideration unfortunately. And that is exactly what was done. Textbook.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

I just don't like it.

They knew the cougar was there, the hospital was on lockdown, a few dozen officers (guns) were on scene. I would have preferred if another solution were at least attempted first.

They did attempt to tranquilize it, and it lunged at them.

Witness Gordon Griffiths said the wildlife officers first tried to tranquilize the animal.

“They did shoot a tranquilizer and it (the cougar) rolled, but then it got up and lunged toward them,” he said.

[doctajones428]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I have more of a problem with them taking 3 shots to put it down. Obvious to me that it should be put down, I just hate seeing things suffer.

I have hunted since I was 12, just think the right gun should be used and would rather it be one head shot and done, Amateurs.

One to the head and done? Do you know it's easy to screw that shot up and make the animal suffer for a long time before death?

One to the lungs/heart area to debilitate it, then an easy one to the head. If you're a really good shot then one to the heart and done. 10 seconds of suffering tops. Could be minutes or hours of suffering if you go straight for the head

[driveway]

Not an endangered animal; unfortunate, but the right decision.

[troutman]

Hunters use dogs to chase cougars up trees. This was probably not an option at the hospital.

[Maccalus]

Originally Posted by troutman

Hunters use dogs to chase cougars up trees. This was probably not an option at the hospital.

I live around that area, the nearest trees big enough for that to be an option are about 1 km away or farther.