Target: Director Dustin Temple, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Goal: Adopt a nonlethal conflict-prevention plan after a reported mountain lion pet kill, including rapid response, deterrents, and support for residents.
A Montana homeowner discovered a pet goat dead with slash wounds consistent with a cougar attack, and later reportedly photographed the big cat near the property. The account describes a densely populated area where families, pets, and businesses sit close to wildlife corridors. Advice to leave the carcass to bait a trap to “dispatch” the animal was reportedly given, raising urgent questions about public safety and animal welfare.
Experts link rising predator encounters to habitat pressure, drought, and dwindling prey. In these conditions, indiscriminate lethal removal can be counterproductive and may not address the underlying attractants that drew the cat into a backyard. Evidence-based measures like secure enclosures, attractant removal, guardian animals, fladry, lighting, and professional hazing have reportedly reduced conflicts without killing native wildlife.
Montana can lead with a humane model that protects people and pets while respecting ecological balance. The agency should implement a nonlethal mountain-lion conflict plan, provide emergency assistance and deterrent kits to affected residents, and reserve euthanasia only for imminent, documented threats. This petition urges an immediate, humane response and a long-term prevention program.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director Temple,
We respectfully request a humane response to a reported mountain lion incident in a residential area near Livingston where a pet goat was killed and a cougar was reportedly observed returning. Communities need swift help that keeps families and animals safe without defaulting to lethal action.
Please deploy a nonlethal conflict-mitigation plan: rapid on-site assessments, professional hazing where appropriate, attractant removal, secure carcass handling, deterrent kits for residents, and guidance on protective enclosures for small livestock. Where losses are documented, offer technical support and consider compensation or cost-share programs tied to prevention.
We also ask that lethal control be reserved for situations of imminent, verifiable danger and that any action be paired with data-driven prevention so similar incidents are less likely to recur. A clear, humane protocol can safeguard public safety, reduce future conflicts, and uphold Montana’s stewardship of native wildlife.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Femke Hansen
