Oregon Wildcat Sanctuary to Pay $5,600 Fine for Fatal Cougar Attack

June 6, 2014

A suburban Portland, Ore., wildcat sanctuary has agreed to pay $5,600 in penalties related to a fatal cougar attack on its head keeper.

The Oregonian reports that a settlement agreement between WildCat Haven Sanctuary and the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division says the nonprofit will drop its appeal of citations assessed in March. They included a $2,800 fine for safety procedural violations and another $2,800 fine for unsafe cougar enclosure design features. The fines were the maximum amounts allowed.

On Nov. 9, 36-year-old Renee Radziwon-Chapman of Portland was fatally attacked while cleaning a cougar enclosure alone. Authorities say she apparently tried to lock out three cougars in the enclosure but was unable to do so before at least one attacked her.

WildCat Haven said in a statement after the fines were announced that it has addressed the state’s safety concerns.

Michael and Cheryl Tuller founded the Sherwood sanctuary in 2001. It is closed to the public.

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