Mountain Lion shot in Des Moines

**oldman** · 10-04-2012, 11:26 AM

Police shoot mountain lion in back yard | Local News - KCCI Home

**00clone** · 10-04-2012, 11:30 AM

What's with the big tent thing? It's not like it's some crime scene where they have to call in CSI. Cop shot an animal. I understand why it's a big story, don't understand why it's a big deal for the authorities.

**ISUAgronomist** · 10-04-2012, 11:32 AM

What's with the big tent thing?

You mean the greenhouse on the property?

**cybsball20** · 10-04-2012, 11:32 AM

"NUh uh! It was just a big house cat, nothing to see here!" - Iowa DNR

**chuckd4735** · 10-04-2012, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by 00clone

What's with the big tent thing? It's not like it's some crime scene where they have to call in CSI. Cop shot an animal. I understand why it's a big story, don't understand why it's a big deal for the authorities.

I don't think the police put it there...sounds like there was some sort of greenhouse already on the property and I'm assuming this was just part of it.

**CapnCy** · 10-04-2012, 11:38 AM

Wow...that is pretty scary.....lucky no one was hurt, etc.

On a side note, if I'm that "greenhouse" owner, I'm seeing if I can stuff that thing to drive business to my struggling greenhouse.

**00clone** · 10-04-2012, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by ISUAgronomist

You mean the greenhouse on the property?

Originally Posted by chuckd4735

I don't think the police put it there...sounds like there was some sort of greenhouse already on the property and I'm assuming this was just part of it.

I guess it could have been that. I saw the reference to the greenhouse in the article, just didn't think greenhouse when I looked at pics 4 and 6. Talking about the netting thing.

Nevermind, carry on...

**chuckd4735** · 10-04-2012, 11:43 AM

In before the "why didn't they use a tranquilizer" crowd shows up.

**ajk4st8** · 10-04-2012, 11:43 AM

There is a dog in my neighborhood that I wish the cops would do the same thing.

**ruxCYtable** · 10-04-2012, 11:44 AM

I'm not a tree hugger or anything but why do they have to kill them? Couldn't they tranquilize and relocate it?

EDIT: Oops. I guess I'm in the why couldn't they tranquilize it crowd now. No, but seriously, it's an honest question. I'm not an animal rights activist and I have no problem with hunting or any of that.

**ISUAgronomist** · 10-04-2012, 11:47 AM

I'll address the tranquilize question.

How many police officers carry tranquilizers? Zero.

Don't think they will wait for Blank Park Zoo to answer their need.

**ISUAgronomist** · 10-04-2012, 11:50 AM

Jack Hanna, the wildlife expert, addresses the issue well when all those animals were lose in Ohio:

Jack Hanna on Zanesville, Ohio, Animals: ‘We Would Have Had Carnage’ - ABC News

Hanna said tranquilizing wild animals is not as easy as many people believe.
“I’ve been out all over the world tranquilizing animals,” he said. “Can you imagine trying to tranquilize an animal in the dark. Fine, we have a spotlight. We hit it. You don’t know exactly: Did you hit a muscle? Did you hit a bone? If you hit the bone, the plunger might not work and put the medicine in. So what do we do? Then we send a veterinarian or the sheriff up there to see if the animal is down, right? What’s gonna happen if the animal is just sitting there not even asleep? You’re dead.”

Obviously the "night" aspect is specific to this case but the rest of it holds true.

Local police are not trained in proper usage of tranquilizers.

**ruxCYtable** · 10-04-2012, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by ISUAgronomist

I'll address the tranquilize question.

How many police officers carry tranquilizers? Zero.

Don't think they will wait for Blank Park Zoo to answer their need.

And there you have it. Thanks for the answer!

**Palmer** · 10-04-2012, 11:51 AM

I thought all of the cougars were on the West side...

ba-zing!

**longtimeclone** · 10-04-2012, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by ruxCYtable

I'm not a tree hugger or anything but why do they have to kill them? Couldn't they tranquilize and relocate it?

EDIT: Oops. I guess I'm in the why couldn't they tranquilize it crowd now. No, but seriously, it's an honest question. I'm not an animal rights activist and I have no problem with hunting or any of that.

My question is where do they relocate it. A zoo or back to the wild?

It is probably a lot easier to kill the animal then dispose of the body.