City employee will be disciplined for mistreating porcupine
Disciplinary action is underway for a city employee who mistreated a porcupine after he brought it into a city department and tied it up.
City Manager Craig Curtis said Friday a thorough investigation was conducted by the city’s Human Resources department in collaboration with the Electric Light and Power department and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
The investigation over the last two days revealed that a porcupine was brought into the light and power department on March 16, Curtis said.
“The porcupine was transported to the site in the cab of a city vehicle. The individual moved the porcupine to another vehicle, where it was observed that the porcupine was under duress,” Curtis said.
The animal was brought into the department at about 7:30 a.m., and a number of witnesses confirmed that the porcupine was released unharmed into the wild at about 8 a.m.
“This is a clear case of poor judgment and the employee sincerely regrets his inappropriate actions,” Curtis said.
Disciplinary actions will be forthcoming, but the details can’t be released, Curtis added.
He said the employee was represented by a union officer representing the IBEW.
“We take these matters very seriously and act quickly,” Curtis said.
An anonymous email said the light and power employee captured the animal on his acreage and brought it into the department for what he believed was a joke on another employee.
When that person objected to the mistreatment his fellow employee dragged the animal on the ground at one point tightening the rope, making it difficult for the animal to breathe.
