New York, New York – A cougar has been rescued from a private apartment in New York City, where it definitely did not belong.

The 11-month-old, 80-pound female predator was picked up in a concerted effort by animal rights activists, police officers, and Bronx Zoo staff last week.

Her owner voluntarily surrendered her at an apartment in the Bronx, according to the Humane Society.

The cougar, named Sasha, was initially cared for at the zoo after her rescue, and is now on her way to a sanctuary in Turpentine Creek, Arkansas where big cats are protected and cared for throughout their lives.

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Kelly Donithan, director of animal disaster response for the Humane Society, said the cougar had been relatively lucky that its owner realized that a wild cat was not suitable for life in an apartment, and belongs outdoors.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police Commissioner Basil Seggos also chimed in a press release on Monday.

"While cougars may look cute and cuddly when young, these animals can grow up to be unpredictable and dangerous," he said.

New York has reportedly had similar cases of dangerous animals living in private homes before.

In 2003, the NYPD and Bronx Zoo staff rescued an adult tiger from an apartment in Harlem.

A year later, a child in Suffolk County was attacked by his father's captive leopard.

Cougars, also known as mountain lions, hail from North, Central, and South America, and are considered the fourth-largest cat in the world after tigers, lions, and jaguars.

Cougars can weigh up to 200 pounds, reach a shoulder height of up to 35 inches, jump over 15 feet high, and run up to 50 miles per hour at top speed.

They mainly feed on other mammals.