Posted on 09/03/2015 9:39:31 AM PDT by nickcarraway
man who shot and killed a bear in his Fort Collins backyard is expected to face charges.
The shooting happened last week in the Fossil Creek Meadows neighborhood. The man says he was trying to protect his dog from the bear. It’s illegal to kill wildlife, even if a pet is in danger.
The fact that he fired a weapon in a neighborhood with others nearby is what investigators with Colorado Parks and Wildlife say accounts for the third charge he faces, alleging the man was careless in his actions.
CBS4’s Lauren DiSpirito spoke with some people who see the situation differently.
“I think it’s kind of funny that you can protect your car but you can’t protect your pet,” Dennis Highman of Fort Collins said. “They might need to rewrite that one.”
Under Colorado law, Parks and Wildlife says residents are protected if they shoot and kill a bear to protect themselves, their home, car or livestock; but not if a bear is attacking a dog.
“I really love my dog, and if a bear was attacking it I’d probably do the same thing,” another Fort Collins resident said.
Word of the charges surprised people on Worthington Avenue who saw a different bear sleeping in a neighborhood tree nearly all day Saturday.
Andrew Richards, who is identified in police records CBS4 obtained, told police he shot the bear one time with a rifle. After looking into the death, Parks and Wildlife decided to charge him, saying pets are not included in Colorado’s statue.
Richards is being charged with three misdemeanors — unlawful take of wildlife, unlawful possession of wildlife, and unlawful discharge of firearm in a careless manner. Fines and penalties will be decided by the district attorney.
“There were not extenuating circumstances where he would have been allowed to shoot this bear,” Jennifer Churchill with Parks and Wildlife said. “We consider this animal-on-animal.”
It was the first of two bears to die in Fort Collins in as many days. Investigators believe the bear spotted on Worthington Avenue on Saturday is the same bear that turned up dead on Shields Street early Sunday, likely struck and killed by vehicles. Highman says the deaths are unfortunate, but the charges are unfair.
“Because he was probably as scared as anybody else would be when you walkout, then he was probably right in doing that,” he said.
Bears and cops. Doggie’s worst enemies.
If Cecil the Lion or Balu the Bear was attacking my dog and I had a gun, I’d shoot them too.
What’s the moral problem here?
Stupid law enforced by stupid government ignoramuses.
Is not your dog, chattel, your possession?
It certainly is if it bites someone...
If you have a calf and a dog in a pasture and a bear
attacks the calf you can shoot it, but not if it
attacks your dog?
Serious disconnect with reality here.
So if a bear wants to eat your dog, you’ve got to let it happen?
Ping!
Wild animals now have more rights than the average American.
Attack one of my animals and you'll get a bullet, I don't care who you are. That goes for bears, bald eagles, or humans.
First, You shoot the bear in the course of your dog protecting you from the bear.
Second, if the neighbors weren’t in the line of fire, being “around”, doesn’t indicate they were endangered.
Suppressor ...... Its a good thang.
Shoot, shovel, shutup and sew up snoopy.....
The government never enforce the law...unless it benefits them.
Anyone else would be in jail had they done this.
Wonder if there would be charges if the dog would have been a pooooleece K9?
My son has a $2500.00 trained bird dog and that bear would have looked like swiss cheese around my house.
He should sue the wildlife eco-nuts for allowing the bear to come into his yard.
The law is written badly.
Livestock =/= Pets.
Many cities prohibit the keeping of livestock. Dogs are not livestock. If the law says “livestock” but not “pets” then dogs aren’t mentioned.
This may be a case for prosecutorial discretion. It’s definitely a case for jury nullification, should it come to that.
And the Legislature needs to fix the problem.
Off The Bear!!
Unless you're the EPA, then have at it for fun and profit!!!!
Shoot, shovel, shutup and sew up snoopy.....
Now it is the six S's?
;)
We dom’t have many bears in Indiana, but one has been spotted going back and forth along the Michigan line. I saw on the news yesterday that it was in some guy’s house. What I don’t understand is why the wildlife authorities don’t come and get the bears if they are being spotted in densely-populated areas.
Someone should post a picture of looter guy carrying that tub of Heinekens but with the guy replaced by a bear.
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