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Letter: Sickened

From the cougar's point of view
37412pentictonLetters_Wide

Hello the people of Penticton, I have something to tell you.

I live up in the mountains above our own rightful land, above your shadows, lights and sounds.

I have three children, two boys and a girl and we are on our own. My partner has moved on, I am the soul provider. I have to do good, it is the way it is. It is our nature.

The birds and winds have told me that the people of Penticton are upset by having too many deer on their land.

The deer have been walking on their lawns and in the streets, and have been really doing wrong, They have been eating the flowers and shrubs that the people treasure. They are even scaring the pets. They have walked into places that were free to them a few years ago, but the people have now changed the rules. So listen up my cubs, we are lions, we are called cougars and we have an eternal right to be here. But, let's play it safe. We will go down quietly into the town. Now, pay attention to your mother this is very important. We will not be a threat. We will only do as we do. We will only kill and feed on the deer and the wild sheep.

Don’t run, chase, growl, be a threat and maybe the people will see what is about and that we mean no harm

We will stay and hide and only go after the deer in the dark and leave all the people and pets alone. We will only hunt at night,

I will show you how, so ignore the dogs, stay in the shadows and we will be all right. Stay close to your mother.

My name is Elsa, I was named after a distant Auntie in Africa, I think they made a movie about her. It was called Born Free.

My name is Don Smithyman. I live in Oliver and I am a proud Canadian Limey since 74. I am ashamed of the system that would first kill a mother and all her kids before finding a better way of dealing with a problem, shame on the exterminators who parade in government disguised as conservation officers.

This is so wrong on so many fronts. Shame on the system and those who support it. I am sickened and forever hurt by their action.

Don Smithyman, Oliver