Exotic Cat Shot And Killed In Moorpark, CA

[RICHARD]

Large Cat May Be One Spotted Over Weekend

Feb 23, 2005 7:03 am US/Pacific
MOORPARK, Calif. (AP) Authorities have shot and killed an exotic cat that was roaming the hills near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Trackers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services killed the cat in a rural area of Moorpark about 7 a.m.

The cat was shot a quarter of a mile from State Highway 23, several hundred yards from soccer and baseball fields, at the edge of a housing development.

The massive orange cat with black stripes appears to have been a tiger, but officials are not immediately confirming that.

The trackers had been looking for the animal for days, using infrared equipment at night. A helicopter airlifted the animal out of the brush.

Authorities had been tracking the cat ever since several sets of paw prints, far too large for native bobcats or mountain lions, were found on a ranch not far from the hilltop library early last week.

The size of the tracks indicated the animal was between 400 and 600 pounds.


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Nice Job..

Again, Cah lee fuh nee ah law enforcement shoots first, asks questions later.

The CA Dept of Fish and Game knew this cat was loose but they end up killing the animal anyway. They were on scene with the CA Highway Patrol and some local police.

Over the past few years it seems they always send out a police sharpshooter to kill the animals....In the case of a mountain lion that HAS attacked someone I don't have any problem with that.

The thing that does bug me is the backslapping and high fiving that goes on afterwards.

In a few years the story will be that the animal charged towards the officer and he took him out in mid leap with teeth bared and claws flashing.....

[Logan]

[moosmom]

I don't understand WHY they didn't tranquilize it and relocate it to a sanctuary or something!!!

It makes me SO angry that humans are killing animals like these, when they, in fact, were here LONG before we were!

[NoahsMommy]

I grew up in Moorpark.

That happened right next to the college I go to...and about a mile from where my parent's live.

I've always known there are mountain lions in the hills over there, but didn't know they actually shot them. That's horrible....

[RICHARD]

It was a real LION..

Apparently someone had one at their home and it escaped....

[Desert Arabian]

The people who own such animals should be shot, not the animal. Trigger happy cops who shoot first then question later should be shot too. :grr: :grr: :grr:

Poor big kitty. Now it can rest in peace and play with the biggest glitterball and eat the juiciest steaks and have no worries.

[Jayna78]

Why is animal life not valued like human life? I swear, some humans are so stupid, it's not hard for me to side with the animals in almost every case. This story was especially upsetting to me because Tigers hold a special place in my heart - that's the LSU mascot, and that's where I got my BA. We have a live tiger mascot - Mike V - he is treated so well - they're building him a huge sanctuary - he has his own pond, waterfall, air-conditioned room, play area right now, but it's going to be so much better for him - so much land to roam. I became even more aware of Tigers and their personalities and their endangerment statistics when I was attending school at LSU.

I just don't understand why they didn't tranquilize the poor tiger and transport it to a sanctuary where it can be properly released?!? Tigers are an endangered species! Why kill such beautiful animals? No one was hurt - no need to kill it. I can't believe some people believe the biggest cats can be pets - the person who was responsible for that cat should be held liable.

[wolflady]

Originally posted by moosmom
I don't understand WHY they didn't tranquilize it and relocate it to a sanctuary or something!!!

It makes me SO angry that humans are killing animals like these, when they, in fact, were here LONG before we were!

I agree with you 100%.

Sadly, this stuff is happening where I live too. The poor animals have nowhere to go, so people get all freaked out when lions come around residential complexes. It's pi$$es me off, because people are the problem, not the animals. The poor things have nowhere to go because humans are building on every last scrap of land left.
I'm sorry, but the animals were here first.

[GraciesMommy]

Just now saw this on the news...very very sad...and my thoughts too: Why could they not tranq the poor thing?? Lots of people upset...you didn't hear one person say they did the right thing..because they didn't!!

[RICHARD]

I stand corrected...it was a tiger.

but still.....

[bluekat]

*Sighs*

I also agree with moosmom...

[KYS]

I haven't watched the news today yet, but
been following the cat story.
Moorpark is just 1/2 hour from where I live.

I also do not understand why they could not
have tranquilized the Tiger. To my knowledge
the cat had not attacked anybody.
YOu would have thought the the Department of Agriculture's Wildlife personal would have had tranauilzer guns with them.
They new what they were looking for, I see no reason
why they had to kill it.

[QueenScoopalot]

If that poor tiger was owned by some (idiot) it was no doubt declawed to top it all off! I can't wait for the day that exotic species are banned from being owned by private citizens. Too many end up unwanted, and used for "canned hunts". GRRR!!! Can we say TRANQUILIZE??

[NoahsMommy]

On further thinking, Moorpark College has a Teaching Zoo, one that is very well known. Their animal program is quite successful and extreemly difficult to get into.

Anyway, I'm SHOCKED they would kill an animal and not tranquilize it for the reason that it could have been one that belonged to the college.

Very, very disappointing. I'll talk with my mom tonight to see if they've heard any "secret" information.

[RICHARD]

The kitty was declawed and was a pet.

There is a gent who has 22 lion/tigers at his home in the area.

There was a report of a man who had permits for sixexotic animals and when the authorities checked it out he had 5 on the property.

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People are ticked off because the cat was loose for 15 days and hadn't attacked anyone or anything. The person who reported the cat to the authorities watched it pace the fence of his home before he called......

The people in Moorpark have called to protest the shooting, last night they protested on street corners and are planning a candlelight vigil...

(only in Cah Lee Fuh Nee Ah.....)