Ohio man's widow not getting surviving exotic pets

[Zyzfyx]

Source: Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Six exotic animals that were among dozens freed by their suicidal owner and survived a big-game hunt by sheriff's deputies with shoot-to-kill orders will be kept under quarantine at a zoo for now instead of going to his widow, the state Department of Agriculture ordered Thursday.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was trying to stop Marian Thompson from reclaiming three leopards, two primates and a young grizzly bear that have been cared for by the zoo since last week, when owner Terry Thompson mysteriously set them and other wild animals including tigers and lions free in a rural area of eastern Ohio. The other animals were killed by each other or by sheriff's deputies armed with high-powered rifles.

The zoo said it had Marian Thompson's permission to care for the six surviving animals, which have been kept separate from other animals, but has no legal rights to them. A veterinary medical officer for the Department of Agriculture looked at the animals and determined they needed to remain quarantined as allowed by Ohio law, which provides for the agriculture director to quarantine animals while investigating reports of potentially dangerous diseases.

The announcement came after Gov. John Kasich, upon learning the widow planned to retrieve the animals, asked the agency to ensure they didn't pose a health threat.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EXOTIC_ANIMALS_LOOSE?SITE=WDUN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

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Let 'em stay in the zoo where they can be properly cared for, dammit!

[snagglepuss]

1. It's sickening that anyone can own exotic pets. I soso hope they don't get returned.

This whole thing has been sickening to witness. :(

[Kurmudgeon]

2. Perhaps she cared for them more than he did. Should she be punished for his insanity?

[kestrel91316]

3. She bears partial responsibility for the fact that those animals had been poorly

cared for, inadequately housed, and periodically escaping FOR YEARS.

No. She should NEVER get them back. Local authorities considered them both to be ANIMAL HOARDERS.

[Withywindle]

4. Yeah, it sounds like both of them had already proved themselves pretty unfit

Not to mention, they are just plain NOT PETS. Keeping wild exotic and potentially dangerous animals as pets isn't good for anyone. Not the animals, not the people.

Love leopards? Great. Get a domestic cat and pretend. And work to preserve and protect leopards in the wild where they belong.

[Jamastiene]

7. Agreed.

Owning wild animals as pets should be outlawed. Just look at the decimated Florida everglades and the trouble they are having there with pythons, tegus, boas, and other exotics that those exotic "pet" owners set free. Now, according to news reports I have read, there are at the very least two potentially dangerous primates loose in America, the one monkey with Hepatitis B they never found from this nightmare and Moe, the chimp who attacked his owner and then got loose somewhere in California. They never found him either. How long before there are enough of these escaped "pets" in the wilderness of America that we can't go outside without having our faces chewed off, our hands and feet ripped off, and our entrails ripped out by pissed off ex-"pets" that should have been left in their natural habitat.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. Nor should she.

[AngryOldDem]

6. Good.

They are not domesticated animals. They are not her children. They are exotic creatures who need the special care and attention that can only be provided by professionals in a professional environment.

Why should we think she would be any better at taking care of these animals than her husband was?

For once, the state of Ohio made the right decision.