Police handcuff cougar bothering a residential neighbourhood

It turns out the police don’t limit the use of handcuffs to humans.

A cougar that was bothering a residential neighbourhood in Maple Ridge, BC, was handcuffed by RCMP on Sunday.

Ridge Meadows RCMP responded to a call from a resident that had seen a cougar in their backyard, according to a news release. A frontline officer and BC conservation officer went to the 11800 block of 230th Street in Maple Ridge and located the cougar.

Since the area was densely populated and the weather had people out in their backyards, the conservation officer advised there was a high likelihood the animal might need to be euthanized.

You might also like:

Swole cougar spotted in quiet residential area of Langley
Oh, deer... BC Conservation Officer Service reveals strangest calls of 2021

But thankfully, they figured out an alternative.

“Thank you to all the residents who stayed inside and assisted with the best possible outcome for this animal.” said sergeant Hiesler in a statement.

The police discussed and determined that they could provide enough resources to secure the area with neighbouring residents staying inside their houses.

The cougar was safely tranquillized and handcuffed until the conservation officer could secure the animal for appropriate transport and relocation to an undisclosed area.

Ridge Meadows RCMP/Twitter

“We certainly did not want to see this beautiful creature euthanized, and so, due to the public’s assistance, the cougar was able to be relocated safely,” Hiesler added.