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
DEVELOPING Slovakia's populist prime minister shot in assassination attempt, shocking Europe before elections
Slovakia's populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was shot multiple times and gravely wounded Wednesday after a political event in an attempted assassination that shocked the small country and reverberated across Europe.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
BREAKING Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge slammed into a bridge pillar in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a smaller and separate island that is home to a university, officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION If you think you can’t focus for long, you’re right: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.