Port McNeill RCMP shot and killed a cougar last Wednesday.
According to Sgt. Craig Blanchard, the RCMP received a number of calls about a cougar on Cardena Crescent.
One person told RCMP they heard the cougar on their deck going after their dog, Blanchard said.
Because the cougar was posing a threat not only to pets, but to small children on the street, “we decided to help out and we managed to find it.”
Blanchard said RCMP phoned Lee McAstocker who brought in his cougar hounds which found and treed the animal, which was then shot.
“Without him it would be impossible for us to deal with it,” Blanchard said, adding “it was a large, healthy male”.
“We decided to shoot the cougar because of the absence of a conservation officer,” he said.
Blanchard said there has not been a marked increase in calls to RCMP because of the absence of a conservation officer since Bryce Casavant was suspended at the beginning of July for refusing to kill two healthy twin bear cubs - Jordan and Athena.
People aren’t phoning in complaints, but are voicing sightings and concerns on Facebook.
“People are kind of fed up that there is no conservation officer,” said Blanchard.
Casavant is still suspended with pay.