Three things for September 1
1. Cougar kept as illegal pet removed from NYC home
Animal welfare removed an 11-month-old, 80-pound cougar kept illegally in a New York City apartment.
“The cougar, nicknamed Sasha, spent the weekend at the Bronx Zoo receiving veterinary care and is now headed to the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas, officials said,” reports AP News.
“The owners recognized Sasha was not made for living in a small Bronx apartment and surrendered the cougar on Thursday,” Kelly Donithan, director of animal disaster response for the Humane Society of the United States, said in a news release.
“I’ve never seen a cougar in the wild, but I’ve seen them on leashes, smashed into cages, and crying for their mothers when breeders rip them away,” the Humane Society’s Donithan said. “I’ve also seen the heartbreak of owners, like in this case, after being sold not just a wild animal, but a false dream that they could make a good ‘pet.’”
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said the cougar’s case “is currently under investigation and no further information is available at this time.”
2. All California national forests to close temporarily
Forest Service officials recently confirmed all of California’s national forests will be closed to hopefully prevent Labor Day emergency wildfire accidents, prevent the spread of COVID-19 and help keep firefighters safe.
“We do not take this decision lightly, but this is the best choice for public safety,” said Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien. “It is especially hard with the approaching Labor Day weekend, when so many people enjoy our national forests.”
The closures went into effect at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30, and will stay in place until the same time on Sept. 17, according to an announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region.
3. Britney Spears continues to fight conservatorship
In a court filing Tuesday, Aug. 30, popstar Britney Spears and her attorney likened her father’s actions to extortion.
According to AP News, Spears and her new attorney say her father is trying to get $2 million in payments before stepping down from the conservatorship that controls her life and money.
“The document filed by lawyer Mathew Rosengart says the upcoming scheduled accounting of the conservatorship, which James Spears says he wants completed before he steps down, will mean significant payments for him,” reports AP News.
James Spears has offered no public timetable for his departure, saying it will come only after several lingering issues are resolved.
“The only question before the Court — which has, unfortunately, been lost for years — is whether Mr. Spears’ prompt suspension and removal are in best the interests of Britney Spears,” the filing says, later adding that “the unequivocal answer is yes.”
