A cougar that was prowling the Gorge-Selkirk Waterfront was shot by Victoria Police on Nov. 21. The cougar was seen twice, first at 5 a.m. on Garbally Road near a school and then at 4 p.m. on Waterfront Crescent.
Police said they had to kill the full-grown cougar to protect the public. The located the cougar in the 400 block of Dunedin Street.
“Given the close proximity to a school and preschool during care hours, the amount of people and residences in the area, and the amount of time it would take for Conservation officers to arrive, the risk to public safety was determined to be high and a decision was made to dispatch the cougar,” said Victoria police in a statement.
“Situations where police are required to dispatch an animal are extremely rare. We understand that people may feel strongly about this animal and its well-being, and we can assure you that this decision was not made lightly; this was a difficult decision for the officers involved. However, the safety and security of the community is our priority.”
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