Conn. holds first exotic animal amnesty day

courant. ^ | July 25, 2009

[JoeProBono]

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Five months after a privately owned chimpanzee escaped his home and mauled a Stamford woman, Connecticut officials are giving owners of exotic pets a day of amnesty to turn in the illegally-owned animals at the Bridgeport Zoo.

The state Department of Environmental Protection's first exotic amnesty day ends at 3 p.m. Saturday. They're hoping that people surrender anything from large felines to primates and exotic reptiles and amphibians.

Officials say they'll ask about the animals' diets, medical history and temperament, but owners won't be asked their names and won't be prosecuted for owning illegal animals.

It's illegal to own large, potentially dangerous wild animals in Connecticut.

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

"Deputy Commissioner Susan Frechette said owners turned over at least 135 animals, most of them exotic reptiles. The collection included 15 boa constrictors, 15 pythons, 7 alligators, a small monkey, a rattlesnake and an anaconda."

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[OCC]

Officials say they'll ask about the animals' diets, medical history and temperament

Does that include Xanax perscriptions for anxious chimps?

[JoeProBono]

[Hot Tabasco]

I hate monkeys, they are just plain creepy.......and I refuse to believe they are any ancestor of mine.

[JoeProBono]

[DemforBush]

This actually sounds like a good idea to me. Aside from the obvious danger some of these animals can present, many exotics require a level of care and upkeep that many owners are unwilling or unable to provide. As a result, neglect is quite common, as is abandonment. Tigers and other big cats tend to be some of the worst cases.

[JoeProBono]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2301170/posts