Brutal elk killing horrifies small community, C.O. Service asks public for information
By Castlegar Source
Krestova residents are outraged after a particularly brutal and pointless animal killing Sunday night.
In a Facebook post, Conservation Officer Service asked the public to come forwad with any information they might have on the matter.
“An elk was unlawfully killed and dragged behind a truck for several kilometres in a concerning incident Conservation Officers are investigating in the West Kootenay,” the post reads. “On Sunday night, a cow elk was poached in the community of Krestova.
“The elk was then dragged through the community behind a light-coloured pickup truck for approximately five kilometres, throughout Krestova and the nearby community of New Settlement. It was eventually discarded on a road in Pass Creek near Castlegar.
“The suspects did not take any meat, and the entire elk ended up unsalvageable (the images are too graphic to share here). The incident could lead to numerous possible charges. Anyone with information is asked to please call the #RAPP line #BCCOS.”
More than 50 comments on the post were invariably furious, calling for increased punishments for this sort of behaviour.
“If you find them, I hope you actually throw the book at someone for once. No more little wrist slaps of $1000 fine and 2 year hunting ban,” said one commenter, while others suggested the poachers should be treated similarly to the way the elk was.
A perhaps more productive comment said, “This is a small community, somebody knows something, and they need to come forward.”
The investigation continues.
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