August 25, 2012 Fort Lauderdale, FL A Fort Lauderdale battalion chief handling a motorcycle accident was bit by a pet marmoset reached over to turn off the motorcycle. The marmoset had been riding in a bag attached to the motorcycle. The owner was issued a warning for failing to label the monkey bag with what was in it and the monkey received 10 days in quarantine. Primates
August 10, 2012 Chaffee, MO School officials found a python snake near the Chaffee High School football field. As the team was changing in the locker room after practice, coaches and school staff noticed the snake. The Missouri Dept of Conservation took possession of the snake. The snake is not native to Missouri and is believed to be a former pet. Reptiles
August 7, 2012 Cleveland, OH Cleveland Animal Control was called out to a residential backyard for the report of a alligator. Officers found a 4-foot alligator in a small pool with four dogs in the yard. All 5 animals were confiscated. The owner of the animals was already in jail when the animals were seized – the reason for his incarceration was unknown at the time. Reptiles
July 3, 2012 Philadelphia, PA A wolf-dog hybrid that had been on the loose since March of this year has been caught. The animal is believed to be a wolf-Alaskan malamute mix that was purchased in Florida as a pet and escaped when the owners were visiting Philadelphia. Wolf-dog hybrids are legal in Pennsylvania only with a special permit. The animal was taken to the Wolf Sanctuary in Lancaster County. Other
June 4, 2012 Orlando, FL Jozu, SeaWorld’s last false killer whiale is critically ill. Jozu is the last surviving false killer whale in the Continental U.S. Born in captivity, she has lived at the Orlando facility since 1976. Jozu at 17 is considered a young false killer whale since these whales have a maximum longevity of 63 years. The cause of illness is unknown. Jozu’s illness follows the death of Sully, the pilot whale, who died at the San Diego facility on May 23 of unknown causes. Marine
May 5, 2012 Pittsburgh, PA Several African Painted Dogs escaped their main exhibit area into an enclosed backup yard. Although zoo officials claim there was no danger to the visitors, they called a Code Red, ushering about 200 people on the zoo grounds into buildings. The dogs were eventually coaxed back into their exhibit. The zoo is fixing the fence. Other
December 30, 2012 Southwest Ranches, FL A Siberian lynx was found in poor condition and had to be euthanized. A 15-year old child traded the animal from a Miami wildlife dealer for a dirt bike and dune buggy. The lynx was found discovered in a substandard cage with no access to water and suffering from severe skin and eye infections, as well as kidney and liver failure. The teen-ager and his father were issued misdemeanor citations and attempting to sell wildlife without a permit; the dealer was cited for providing a Claass II animal to an unpermitted individual and for obstruction. Small Cats
December 29, 2012 Milwaukee, WI Mahal, a 5-year-old orphaned orangutan, died unexpectedly of a severe tapeworm infection. Primates
December 20, 2012 Lake Elsinore, CA Investigations lead to the closure and mass euthanasia of more than 18,400 rodents and 600 exotic reptiles at Global Captive Breeders (GCB), a California breeding facility. Reptiles
December 19, 2012 Pompano Beach, FL A 38-year old man is accused of stabbing a pet ball python 19 times and leaving a knife in the reptile as it slowely died. Reptiles