TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida wildlife officials say a Loxahatchee man did nothing illegal by storing his dead cougar in a freezer.
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Capt. Jeff Arlen said on Wednesday that the owner had the appropriate permits to possess cougars and other wildlife.
An officer who investigated found no obvious signs of abuse or neglect.
A citizen was concerned that the animal had been stored in the freezer and called the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Wildlife officers say that’s not against the law.
Owners do not have to report how or why their animals died. They also can handle the carcasses as they see fit.
Florida currently licenses 260 commercial or personal facilities to possess wildlife that could pose a significant danger. They are inspected twice a year.
Source: Associated Press