City of Victoria employee fired for decapitating cougar shot by police
A City of Victoria employee has been fired for decapitating a cougar that was shot dead by police in British Columbia's capital.
A spokesperson for the city declined to say which department the employee worked for, but said the decapitation occurred after Victoria police delivered the dead animal to the city's public works yard for disposal last fall.
The wildcat had been prowling Victoria's inner city waterfront in the early morning hours of Nov. 21, prompting multiple warnings from police and conservation officers.
Approximately 12 hours later, the cougar was cornered and shot in a park in a high-density area close to a school and the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, a popular pedestrian and cycling corridor.
"The risk to public safety was determined to be high," the Victoria Police Department said in a statement after the animal was destroyed.
"Situations where police are required to dispatch an animal are extremely rare," the statement continued. "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 cougar was shot by Victoria police in a residential area of the city on Nov. 21, 2023. (VicPD)
Victoria spokesperson Colleen Mycroft declined to discuss how long the terminated employee had worked for the city, citing personal privacy reasons.
The city spokesperson also declined to say whether the internal investigation that ultimately led to the employee's firing examined why the worker removed the animal's head.
"The city has concluded its investigation process into this incident and we can confirm the individual responsible is no longer employed by the city," she said.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says the employee was served with a written warning under the B.C. Wildlife Act after the cougar's head was surrendered to the agency.
"The individual was co-operative throughout the investigation and expressed remorse for their actions," a spokesperson for the service said. "Conservation officers have discretion when issuing enforcement action, which can range from a written warning to initiating a court proceeding."
A B.C. SPCA spokesperson called the situation "unfortunate," but said the matter was outside of the organization's jurisdiction to respond to or make recommendations on.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.