Reported Strolling in Venice : State Seizes Pet Cougar
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Neighbors’ complaints about a woman reportedly seen walking her pet mountain lion near her home on Cabrillo Avenue in Venice led to the seizure of a 9-month-old cougar, which is being held as evidence by the California Department of Fish and Game at a facility in the San Fernando Valley, according to game warden Angel Raton.
The 80-pound mountain lion is considered dangerous, as would be any animal of that size, even a dog, he said. Raton said that Los Angeles city regulations prohibit keeping a wild animal in a residential area, and it is against state law to possess a wild animal without a permit. Permits are issued when animals are obtained through authorized breeders, he said, and owners must comply with local regulations where the animal is kept.
Raton refused to disclose the name of the alleged owner until a misdemeanor complaint is filed, probably within two weeks.
The maximum penalty for illegal possession of a wild animal is a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, he said.
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