COLORADO SPRINGS — A woman in Colorado Springs stopped to help an injured bobcat and put it in the backseat of her car next to her three year old son child, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
She told officers she picked up the animal after it was struck by a car. CPW said the woman is lucky the cat didn't react to being picked up and put in the car because it was mortally wounded.
CPW Officer Sarah Watson reported she was shocked to open the door to see the wild animal right there on the seat, covered by a towel, with eyes open.
It is unknown where the woman picked up the bobcat. Watson used a catchpole to secure the animal as it hissed and struggled with being moved.
Once the animal was back at the office, it was discovered the back legs were paralyzed. The bobcat had to be humanely euthanized.
The agency is reminding everyone to not put themselves in harm's way and pick up wild animals.
"See this bobcat? Notice its large teeth? Imagine the claws within its big paws," CPW said in a tweet.
If you see an injured animal, call your local CPW office.
Everyone is advised to contact a local CPW office if a wildlife conflict is endangering the animal or people in an area. Wild animals and people can coexist. CPW said the only way this can happen is if people respect "the wildness of wildlife," according to their website.
Their website says bobcats are usually found in foothills, canyons, mesas and plateaus. They exist statewide in Colorado. CPW said the most dangerous encounters are when people do not leave an animal alone and give it the space it needs.
