WESTERVILLE — The 35-year-old man who crossed a fence to pet some cougars last week said he wishes he had never done it. “That was a very bad decision” said Josh Newell. “If I had to do it over I definitely would have stayed within the barrier boundaries. I was thinking I’m an animal lover. The cats were looking like they wanted some love and just jumped over and petted them.” Newell was pressed with criminal trespassing charges by the Columbus Zoo after video showed him jumping a barrier to pet two adult cougars .