LIL' BUDDY'S BLOG: You Hear About the COUGAR, on the North Side of Chicago?
THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!
The news story has been all over the country - all over the world! Even Jay Leno joked about it on The Tonight Show Tuesday night.
Last Tuesday afternoon, Chicago Police shot a COUGAR. A PUMA. A MOUNTAIN LION. On the streets of Chicago - in the Roscoe Village Neighborhood, behind a single-family home on the 3400 Block of North Hoyne Avenue. That's about a mile away from our Dean's Team World Headquarters, in a basement on Western Avenue!
The animal was wild, and male. It weighed 122 pounds. For several hours, it was leaping and lurking all around the neighborhood - hopping six-foot privacy fences like they were little curbs. Darting in and out of back yards. Shot in pictures crossing the street, in the background, while humans were working, and little kids were playing, in the foreground.
Normally, the City of Chicago sends out its Department of Animal Control to tranquilize a wild animal, out of place. However, this was a bit unusual - indeed, there hasn't been a recorded cougar sighting here in over 150 years! The cops were called, cornered the animal, and fired ten fatal shots when they feared the animal would bound away.
The fact the police shot the animal to death has caused some controversy - why not wait until the animal authorities arrived? Under normal circumstances, I would tend to agree - I am a big supporter of Animal Rights, you know.
But in this situation - there might have been no choice, and killing the cat may have been the only option.
After all, in an instant, the cougar could have lunged for the police officers. Or leaped over a fence, and ran away.
Or, he would have jumped into a nearby yard, where there may have been little kids. Or even - a Lil' White Dog.
Man - I'm sure glad I wasn't an afternoon snack - about 12 pounds worth - for a 120 pound Mountain Lion!
There have been rumors of other cougar sightings, mainly in Chicago's northern suburbs - but no other sightings have been confirmed.
There has been considerable coverage on this incredible, unusual story. Start with this article by Jeremy Manier and Tara Shah in last Tuesday's Chicago Tribune.
YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS,
BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
