Current:Home > ScamsDid he want a cat scan? Mountain lion makes surprise visit to Arizona hospital-LoTradeCoin
Did he want a cat scan? Mountain lion makes surprise visit to Arizona hospital
View Date:2024-12-23 23:53:40
Patients at an Arizona hospital got an unexpected visitor on Friday: a mountain lion.
The big cat walked on the grounds of the Tucson Medical Center, about 100 miles south of Phoenix, at around 10:30 a.m. before getting stuck in an enclosed courtyard, according to Arizona Game and Fish spokesperson Michael Colaianni.
It wasn’t long before the lion's presence drew a crowd, with people snapping pictures and videos of the creature as it looked for a way out. The mountain lion was seen pacing and peering into courtyard windows, according to reporting by The Arizona Daily Star.
The "subadult male mountain lion" even cut one of its paws after leaning over a window and breaking it, the Star reported. The male lion was darted, tranquilized and removed from the hospital courtyard a couple hours later.
“No patients, staff or visitors were at risk, and no one was injured,” hospital spokesperson Carrie Santiago told USA TODAY.
Mountain lion puns, jokes made
The Tucson Police Department was apparently roaring with laughter about the mountain lion call, taking the time to describe the incident in a social media post with a few purrfect puns.
“TPD officers from the Midtown Division were called to a local hospital today for reports of a trapped “cat burglar,” the post says. “The ‘suspect’ had damaged a window, but thankfully, members from Arizona Game & Fish were able to safely remove the mountain lion without further damage and without injury.”
The department continued to praise "a-lion-ces with our public safety partners."
A hyperlocal social, @WhatsUpTucson, shared details about the cat encounter in a post on X.
“Irony: I am still a patient at TMC and wasn’t eaten by Mountain Lion,” the post reads. One commenter couldn't resist a correction: “Only ironic if a) you wanted to get eaten and b) that was your way out."
A user wrote: “Just wanted a cat scan.”
“It would’ve been a HIPAA violation if we gave the mountain lion your room number,” Tim Bentley wrote, referring to the federal privacy haw.
Big cat set to make return back to the wild
The “great news” to come from the situation, Arizona Game and Fish spokesperson Michael Colaianni told the Star, is that the mountain lion is “very healthy.”
Because the mountain lion did not exhibit "aggression toward humans or other unacceptable behaviors," it was approved to be sent back to the wild, Colaianni said.
It will be fitted with a GPS radio collar and released at an undisclosed approved location in the wild away from the Tucson area, according to Colaianni.
"This just happened to be a mountain lion that was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and so we could determine it was suitable for release," Colaianni shared with the Star.
veryGood! (9194)
Related
- Queen Bey and Yale: The Ivy League university is set to offer a course on Beyoncé and her legacy
- Taylor Tomlinson excited to give fellow comedians an outlet on new CBS late-night show After Midnight
- Prince William Postpones Duties Amid Kate Middleton’s Recovery From Stomach Surgery
- Top six NBA players who could be on the move by deadline as trade rumors swirl
- Real Housewives of New York City Star’s Pregnancy Reveal Is Not Who We Expected
- Maine court pauses order that excluded Trump from primary ballot, pending Supreme Court ruling
- Alec Baldwin stars in video promoting the sale of his $19 million Hamptons home: Watch
- US Justice Department to release long-awaited findings on Uvalde mass shooting Thursday
- What are the best financial advising companies? Help USA TODAY rank the top U.S. firms
- Phoenix family fears hit-and-run victim was targeted for being transgender
Ranking
- Federal judge orders Oakland airport to stop using ‘San Francisco’ in name amid lawsuit
- US Justice Department to release long-awaited findings on Uvalde mass shooting Thursday
- Japan Airlines gets first woman president following a fatal plane collision during the holidays
- U.S. renews terrorist designation of Houthi rebels amid Red Sea attacks
- 1 dead, 2 children injured in wrong-way crash; driver suspected of DWI: Reports
- Hawaii lawmakers open new legislative session with eyes on wildfire prevention and housing
- NBA postpones Warriors' game against Jazz after assistant coach sustains medical emergency
- Sales of Apple’s premium watches banned again by court over blood-oxygen sensor patent dispute
Recommendation
-
Does your dog have arthritis? A lot of them do. But treatment can be tricky
-
Tree of Life synagogue demolition begins ahead of rebuilding site of deadly antisemitic attack
-
Extreme cold is dangerous for your pets. Here's what you need to do to keep them safe.
-
Who is James Dolan? Knicks, Rangers owner sued for sexual assault, trafficking
-
Biden, Harris participate in Veterans Day ceremony | The Excerpt
-
Capitol rioter who assaulted at least 6 police officers is sentenced to 5 years in prison
-
Billionaire backers of new California city reveal map and details of proposed development
-
US pledges new sanctions over Houthi attacks will minimize harm to Yemen’s hungry millions