Why Did A Bobcat Captured In El Dorado Hills Need To Be Euthanized?

EL DORADO HILLS (CBS13) — A bobcat captured in El Dorado Hills after terrorizing family pets was put down, much to the chagrin of many CBS13 viewers who have contacted us.

The Department Fish and Wildlife says other options were considered, but none of them were considered viable.

"The rules on the books state we shall issue a depredation permit upon request from the homeowner if property damage has occurred," said spokeswoman Janice Mackey.

In the El Dorado Hills neighborhood, the property damage included the bobcat attacking three pets.

"If we do issue a depredation permit, that gives the homeowner the lawful right to take that animal. It doesn't always mean the animal will be taken," she said.

The aggressive, 40-pound cat was euthanized by a licensed trapper 24 hours after it was captured. Mackey says the decision didn't come easy, but it is in accordance with state law.

"It's a case-by-case basis," Mackey said. "The cat had been in there and he'd been feeding on the cats and he had found a food source, and that behavior—he was going to continue that behavior."

Word of the animals' fate had users howling, saying that relocation could have been an option. But according to Mackey, it would have done more harm than good.

"Relocation for animals such as this are not an option," she said. "We would be displacing other animals; we could be transmitting diseases and we're just relocating the problem."

Other viewers wanted to know if an area zoo could house the bobcat, but Mackey says that is typically only an option for younger animals.

"This was a full grown bobcat that probably wouldn't have been a good candidate to be in a zoo. It would have been extremely stressful. Some people even think that's more detrimental to do them," she said.

Mackey recommends eliminating possible food sources outside of your property to make your home less inviting to wildlife.