Man Mistakes Dog For Lion: Shoots Dog
Milwaukee police responded to an odd call that a loose animal–a cougar or a lion–had walked by the caller’s house. As the police were responding to the call, they received additional information from an anonymous caller. The caller stated that someone had fired a gunshot at a stray pit bull dog at North 21st Street and West Chambers Street. The dog was warmly named Simba, apparently after the beloved lion in the iconic story The Lion King. Simba needed treatment for the bullet that injured his right front leg. So officers took the dog to the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) for treatment. Executive Director of MADACC Karen Sparapani stated the following according to Channel 58, WDJT Milwaukee.
“The bullet went through his leg, fractured his bone.”
Oddly enough, someone did apparently see a large, cat-like animal in the neighborhood on Monday. Neighbors have lived in fear in the Brewers hill neighborhood since that time, which may explain how a dog can be mistaken for a lion. Videos and pictures of a large cat-like animal have been taken, but such an animal hasn’t been caught. Police Chief Edward Flynn stated that his officers were given cell phone video of what appeared to be a “lion-ish creature,” according to CBS News. Animal control wants people to be careful, but not reckless in discharging firearms, and stated the following. “Please do not discharge a firearm, because often beside from maybe not shooting the right animal, a human can be injured.”
Police searched for a lion through the neighborhood, but nothing out of the ordinary was discovered. As a longshot, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources even had an employee conduct a search, and stated that mountain lions are one of the three wild cats native to the state. Flynn noted it was possible for a wild cat to have made its way south from northern Wisconsin.
In the meantime, injured Simba must wear a cast for six weeks and is on medication for pain. MADACC hopes that Simba’s real owners are found. Simba needs time to heal and recover from his wounds. Sparapani stated that “[d]ogs feel pain just as we do, they just don’t register it the same, they can’t put it into context as we can.”
Simba was accidentally shot, allegedly after someone mistook him for a wild animal in suburbia. Other animals are abused through active abuse or neglect, such as leaving a dog in a hot car. A 14-month-old boxer died after his owners left him in a hot car while shopping for four hours at IKEA. People broke into the car attempting to save the pup, but it was too late, according to an article in the Inquisitr.
What do you think about someone mistaking a dog for a lion or mountain lion and shooting it? What penalty, if any, should be imposed and should the individual be made to pay any vet bills? Please leave your comments below.
[Photo Courtesy MADACC]
