Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Cougar Killed by Chicago Police


Well, I knew this would be the fate of this majestic animal. In the wrong place at the wrong time. For a dangerous wild animal in a land of too many people, no place is the right place at all.

The Chicago Police shot the cougar in well known in "Roscoe Village," a place of many boutiques, art galleries, and artists' lofts, in the 3400 block of N. Hoyne. This was about 18 miles from where the cougar was found this past Saturday morning, in Wilmette. After studying maps, and knowing all areas quite well, its my opinion the cougar traveled along the Metra railroad tracks.



The North Branch of the Chicago River is also nearby but I believe that if the cougar had been there along the river, with deer, and many other furry mammals to easily eat, it never would have continued south into such a high density neighborhood. Chicago is reported to have 6000 people per square mile.
The complete story is all over the Internet as well as newspapers across the country. I got these photos and quotes from:
http://wgntv.trb.com/news/local/chi-chicago-cougar-shot-webapr15,0,2750598.story



"A 150-pound cougar was shot and killed Monday evening in the Roscoe Village neighborhood on Chicago's North Side, officials said. Chicago Police Capt. Mike Ryan said the cougar tried to attack the officers when they tried to contain it. Police said no one was hurt and they did not know the cougar's gender."

"It was turning on the officers," Ryan said, adding that no officers were hurt. "There was no way to take it into custody."



"Chicago Police Capt. Mike Ryan said the cougar tried to attack the officers when they tried to contain it." Well according to all reports, the cougar was chased by many police officers, and it leaped fences until it was trapped in an alley and was completely cornered. Not wise to stress out and corner a wild animal, right? So then it came towards the officer and in his opinion it was going to attack him. Killed it with 10 gun shots right on the spot. Who really can say?



Animal lovers on the Net are questioning why an endangered animal like this was killed and not tranquilized nor relocated. In the articles I have read, they said that Animal Control had been responding to reports since the morning in Roscoe Village, but could not find the cougar. They would have the necessary tranquilizing guns/darts to safely capture and relocate - not the Chicago Police. The Chicago Police are here to "serve and protect" but only humans not animals, no matter how beautiful, majestic, endangered, or rare they might be.



When I heard the new yesterday right around the time of the killing, I nearly broke down in tears as I was driving home from the forest preserves where I walk the dog nearly every day. I could not help it even though I tried to prepare myself for the inevitable. If the cougar stayed in the city, it would be killed, and it got into rural areas, it would still be killed.

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http://outdooroddities.com photo

Its time for Great Lake state Department of Natural Resources to finally accept that wild cougars are migrating into the Midwest and need to be placed upon the endangered species list. In doing this, they introduce cougars into states they were exterminated from during the 1800's. Having cougars once again residing within the Great Lakes States will also solve many of the deer related problems many DNR's are always complaining about. Paying sharp shooters like "White Buffalo" Anthony DiNicola thousands of dollars each year to come and kill deer over baited sites wastes lots of taxpayers dollars! Its extremely offensive! I advocate introducing the cougar into natural conservation areas, study them and protect them. Put GPS collars on and map them along with doing the usual necessary deer counts each DNR does yearly.


Felt Deer Brooch/Pin made by Urban Woodswalker.
for sale at: http://urbanwoodswalker.etsy.com

7 comments:

Scott Bulger Photography said...

Truly a shame that this tremendous animal was put down. I wish that it had a different outcome.

Anonymous said...

so sorry.

Merlin said...

"We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."

— Anna Sewell, author of Black Beauty

Holly said...

Those pictures of the cat are just heart-breaking.

Anonymous said...

Tag em and Bag em.

bob wong said...

Have been enjoying your cougar story, keep it up. Nice to see you have a blog now.

anisah said...

im so sad when i read these comments. I don't see how people think yhat it is ok ti kill these beatiful animals. It is heartbreaking to hear and see many hunters with their 'catch' - cougers. There really should be a law against this. If i am only thirteen and I can see that this in barbaric then how can others be so blind.....