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
NDP wants Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
Doug Ford suggests immigrants behind Jewish school shooting
Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested immigrants are to blame for the shooting of an empty Jewish school in Toronto over the weekend, despite police saying they have little information on the suspects.
Melanie Joly 'forward-leaning' in debate on Ukraine using NATO arms inside Russia
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is suggesting Canada would support a policy of allowing Ukraine to use NATO-provided arms inside Russia.
Fast-paced, highflying SailGP blows into Halifax for weekend competition
Ten countries, including Canada, each with teams of six sailors, are battling head-to-head on Halifax Harbour this weekend for the Canadian debut of SailGP (Grand Prix).
Donald Trump can sue niece over NY Times article, court rules
A New York state appeals court said Donald Trump can sue his niece Mary Trump for giving the New York Times information for its Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 probe into his finances and his alleged effort to avoid taxes.
Shania Twain shares how she forgave her ex-husband's cheating: 'It's his mistake'
Shania Twain recently addressed the infidelity that rocked her marriage to Robert 'Mutt' Lange, whom she divorced in 2010 after he had an affair with her friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal in Montreal brainwashing experiments case
The Supreme Court of Canada will not review a Quebec ruling that bars people from suing the U.S. government in Canada over its role in notorious brainwashing experiments at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.