August 26, 2004

The Other Paw Drops

Well, Gary Dutcher got his day in court Tuesday. He was found guilty of possessing a public nuisance animal and was fined $2,500:

Dutcher and his cougar were driving home from a trip to the veterinarian in January, when Dutcher's car slid off Stellhorn Road. The animal ran loose for almost four hours, before Fort Wayne Animal Control officers shot and killed it. After the incident, Dutcher was also sued by his neighborhood association, who claimed keeping exotic animals in his home violated the association's rules [the association won that suit, too, but I don't know how much Dutcher had to pay - ed].

I'm trying to feel sorry for this guy, I really am. But it's hard to do so when he:

  • Ignored his vet's request to cage Samson before bringing him in
  • Drove Samson to the vet during a snowstorm in a Camaro (a really shitty snow car) instead of his truck (I am trying to verify secondhand reports that Dutcher often drove Samson around uncaged in his Camaro in order to impress women)
  • Didn't have Samson restrained in any way so when Dutcher crashed his car, Samson could escape

I also heard on the news broadcast (but can't find on their web page) that Dutcher is trying to sue the city for... well, I'm not exactly sure what he thinks he can sue them for, but it looks like he's going to try anyway. I'm sure this story will continue to develop.

Posted by Chris at August 26, 2004 11:07 AM

Category: Local Stuff
Comments

I think he's an idiot for having a cougar in the first place. Unless you have a lot of land and a really good fence, that's no life for a great animal like that.

Sheesh, it's not like a cougar is an overgrown pussycat. And then to find out that he has servals, too?

Can you hold him down while I beat some sense into him?

Posted by: Da Goddess at September 1, 2004 09:14 PM

Dutcher had, I think, about an acre. Maybe less. He has since moved out of the county, presumably so he won't have to give up the other cats. The neighborhood where he lived was annexed by the city of Fort Wayne a few years back - and don't even get me started about that - thus exposing him to city animal laws that are more restrictive than county ones.

Posted by: Chris of Dangerous Logic at September 2, 2004 03:43 PM