RESIDENTS ASSAIL CALL TO KILL PUMA : COMPLAINTS FLOOD STATE OFFICE.

Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Daily News Staff Writer

Pamela Whitbeck was among the 80 livid callers to the state Department of Fish and Game on Wednesday, angry that a warden fatally shot a mountain lion resting in the yard of a Valencia home.

Whitbeck grew up raising wild animals, including a mountain lion, and said she was outraged about Tuesday's decision to kill the wild cat.

``We've got a lot of wild animals out there. We've never been attacked out here,'' she said, echoing others. ``These (wardens) are the bullies of society.''

Fish and Game spokesman Patrick Moore fielded some of the estimated 80 calls that came into his office - most of them complaints, he said.

It is not unusual to receive this many calls when the word gets out that a warden has shot a wild animal, especially in an urban area, where people do not understand wildlife, Moore said.

``Most wonder why we had to shoot it,'' he said, noting that his department will respond to some questions by mail.

Many in the Valencia neighborhood filled with children supported the decision to destroy the big cat, saying they feared someone would be attacked. But few calls of support came through, Moore said.

A common question was why the large cat, which had not harmed anybody, was not tranquilized.

The response was that tranquilizing a large animal that is capable of running 50 mph can take anywhere from two minutes to 12 minutes, depending on its weight, health and where the tranquilizer dart hits the animal, Moore said. In a populated neighborhood, anything can happen during this time.

``The fear is that the animal will take off where we can't see it. A child could play with it,'' Moore said.

Jerry White, an animal control officer from the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control in Castaic, agreed. He usually gets the calls to respond to wild animals.

``You're not talking about an animal that does a movie. This is not a trained animal. The bottom line is public safety,'' he said. ``You hit them with a dart, they're liable to come right back on top of you.''

Whitbeck disagreed, saying the cougar probably feared all the commotion.

``She was probably scared to death,'' she said.

Diana Deker of Woodland Hills also called the state office to complain, saying the animal should have been given a chance.

``There's coyotes who roam around here. People don't run around and shoot them. Anything can be a threat. A car is a threat. A person is a threat,'' said Deker, a mother of three, ages 2, 3, and a newborn.