Law Enforcement
Coppers Cap Cornered Cougar
September 8, 2011 
A three year old mountain line was shot and killed by police early Thursday morning after they declared it to be a threat to public safety.
After repeated sightings of a four legged cougar prowling Boise residential neighborhoods, Boise coppers and an Ada Sheriff’s Deputy cornered the cat on the grounds of St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. The deputy shot it twice with his .45 caliber service handgun.
Idaho Fish and Game officials had been previously consulted in the case and the decision was made to shoot the animal as it had become accustomed to living off the city streets.
The blogosphere has been alive with discussions about the merits of using a tranquilizer, but even though the cat was at the hospital, there were apparently no doctors or nurses willing to administer the drug.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Sep 8, 2011, 5:38 pm
Seems like “they” can declare anyone or any thing a “threat to public safety”. You are next, if not me.
Sep 8, 2011, 8:22 pm
Rod, not sure who you believe “they” are, but the order to dispatch the lion came from Fish and Game. Mountain Lions are territorial animals. When they wander into town, it’s because they think town is their territory. Ask any Fish and Game Officer and they will tell you the same thing, a Mountain Lion “CAN NOT” be relocated. NO matter how far away you take the Mountain Lion to relocate, it will make its way back to “it’s” territory. Maybe you could put out some treats for the next one and when he shows up, take care of him yourself.
Sep 9, 2011, 8:54 am
F&G policy requires that only employees who have received training on the use of animal tranquilizers and who maintain a current certification may dart animals. This ensures that the animal isn’t overdosed, or (possibly worse) under-dosed and wakes up too early and causes an injury to someone.
At 3:30 in the morning, it is virtually impossible to muster the people equipped and trained for this quickly. The only safe option the ACS officer had was to shoot the cat.
It’s really unfortunate that it played out this way, but it was the best resolution available under the circumstances.
Sep 9, 2011, 9:17 pm
Good Shooting, but why not a 12ga 00 round? Do they even carry those around any more?
Sep 9, 2011, 10:18 pm
Zippo, I doubt every patrol unit has a shotgun and those that do probably don’t have the choice of ammunition. Are shotguns kept in the front of the vehicles or are they stored in the trunk?
Sep 10, 2011, 10:20 pm
I appreciate the cat was a beautiful animal but on the other hand, a big cat (even one that small) is a threat to small children, pets and just about anything else the cat determines is “food”. A full sized adult cat is not something I would want near homes and people.
We must have too many of them if they are this far out of their domain and relocating them or thinning the population may be necessary.
On a personal level, big cats give me the creeps. They are silent stalkers and once they make their move a human is going to come out as the main item on the menu. They are so quick you have no opportunity for defense.
Sep 14, 2011, 7:20 pm
Mountain lions are major predators. Most folk do not desire to be kitty chow.