A man has been charged after a wounded beaver was found walking on Main Street in Watrous, Sask., June 18.
After responding to a complaint, Watrous RCMP found the animal suffering from multiple and serious injuries.
An officer shot the animal with his service revolver to end its suffering.
Further investigation found that an adult male had tried to kill the beaver and was cutting its tail off to collect the bounty.
It’s believed the rodent was being killed as part of a beaver control program in the Rural Municipality of Morris, which includes Watrous.
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“Obviously, there’s a need to deal with them. It’s just unfortunate that it was done in the manner that it was,” said sgt. Craig Cleary of the RCMP’s F Division Communications Unit.
“It’s not uncommon for us to get calls of wounded animals, and if we’re in a remote location where SERM (Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management) is not available, or veterinary services available, we are put in a position where we do euthanize animals.”
The accused has been charged under the provincial Wildlife Regulations Act with hunting within 500 meters of a building without the building owner’s permission. The voluntary payment option is a $480 fine.
SERM and the SPCA have been consulted in the ongoing investigation.
