150 pounds? That's a big girl!

They do tranquilize bears in Chicago all the time, usually right after they beat the Packers, although in Green Bay, they try to tranquilize them just before the game. In Chicago, animal control officers are probably patronage jobs, so, most of them were busy double dipping at their other jobs registering cemetery residents to vote.

Where is the common sense? Tranqualizer guns are readily available in the chicago area. This is a cop with no common sense. At least it was a cougar and not a kid with a toy gun.

Come on now,lets not get to upset over these comments. They're just complaining to stir the pot a little. No one with any common sense would believe that the officers had any option other that to shoot the big cat. Miltonalum says that they tranquilize bears all the time and all they had to do is wait 15 minutes for chicago animal control...LOL./Have you every seen a bear on a full out run vs a cougar. Tortoise and the hare comes to mind. 15 minutes for animal control at at 5:30pm monday night with rush hour. What planet do you live on..this isn't milton were talking about.

There is a good question, where was animal control? Nonetheless, as a regular citizen or a police officer, if my options are getting mauled to death by a Cougar or shooting it, I'll pull the trigger. If you don't live on the Northside of Chicago, like I do, it would be hard for you to understand the context the police were in, and the necessity this made the act of shooting the animal. Buildings are much more compacted together here-- unlike Janesville at 5:30 on a Monday night, there are thousands of people wandering the streets. This is not a good situation if there is angry and confused cat of prey on the loose. It is saddening that the cougar was killed, but it was ultimately a public safety issue that needed to be dealt with quickly and efficiently.

then you dont know, most larger cities (and i guarantee chicago) has animal control with tranquilizers and are very trained to use them.

QOUTE Why did they have to kill the animal, they could have used a tranquilizer gun and moved him , that’s a bunch of bs.

QUOTE I really hope it was not some trigger happy vigilante cop who felt it necessary to shoot it rather than wait 15 minutes for Chicago animal control to show up and tranqualizer it.

Are you two serious? As far as I know animal control don’t have tranquilizer guns they have poles for dogs and other “in town “ animals. This was a wild yes WILD big cat. It is a sham that it had to be put down, but it is a city not the country. I know lets call the zoo, have them come get it while some cop tries to keep up with it. If you have ever seen a big cat in the wild and tried to track one you would have a better idea of what you are yapping about. No cops is prepared for this type of situation, Wisconsin Wardens were not prepared for a big cat in Wisconsin. I think maybe a reality check is in order here.

As long as there was no immediate danger they could have tranqed him, they tranq bears all the time in the city. I really hope it was not some trigger happy vigilante cop who felt it necessary to shoot it rather than wait 15 minutes for chicago animal control to show up and tranq it. Obviously if there was immediate danger the police had no choice but its likely they shot on sight, which is sad.

boy, nscott, you are just a ray of sunshine arent you? very sad about the cougar

It is just BS that officers did not grab a mouse named Jerry and let the cougar chase it back into its hole in the wall, then, when the cougar was stuck half-in, half-out the mouse hole, they could easily capture the big cat. Damn Fools!

bla bla bla, complain some more. sometimes wild animals have to be shot. yes, it's sad, but as nutty said, you'd be singing a different tune if someone had been attacked and or killed by the cat. crappy things happen in the world every day and you just have to get over it.

Well if thats not an irking story, was it really necissary to shoot the damn thing. What a stupid officer, damn fool!

Why did they have to kill the animal, they could have used a tranqulizer gun and moved him , thats a bunch of bs.

Dang, I had hoped to have it hanging on my wall.
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I wonder which precinct has the trophy?

Unless you happen to be the only cougar in town.

The murder rate in Chicago is way down from its peak rate of 5 murders every 2 days back in the 70s.

Was it necessary to include a picture of the DEAD cougar?? How sad.

And if you're lost on Chicago's south side you will probably be shot.

A warning to all:

If you're lost on Chicago's north side you'll be shot.

I feel sorry when I read this. Its obviously way out of its natural territory. Of course it had to be shot--but what a sad ending for this animal.