A Granby, Connecticut homeowner is facing charges after telling authorities he shot and killed a bear he said was attacking his livestock, according to local TV reports.
Police say the bear was killing chickens
According to WVIT-TV, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said a Granby homeowner phoned authorities on a Friday evening to report he had killed a bear.
Police who investigated said the homeowner opened fire after the bear broke into an animal pen and began killing his chickens. Officers also said the homeowner told them he suspected the bear had killed some of his goats last month.
Identity and charges, per WFSB-TV
WFSB-TV identified the homeowner as Michael Gero, 39, and reported he was charged in connection with the shooting. WFSB said Gero is due to appear in court next month.
WFSB also highlighted the broader debate in a social post, asking: “Should property owners be allowed to defend their animals against wildlife?”
Separate Arizona case: rabid bobcat confirmed
About a month earlier, an Arizona homeowner shot and killed a bobcat after it entered his backyard, attacked his dog, and then charged at his wife, according to the account cited in the source material. The homeowner was not charged.
Arizona Game and Fish Department spokeswoman Alexandra Flickinger said officials took the animal for rabies testing on Aug. 29 and “the results did come back positive.”
What we don’t know
Authorities and the TV reports cited above did not specify the exact charges filed in the Connecticut case, whether the homeowner was held in custody, or additional details about the investigation.
