All About exotic Animals - story by Tara Dodrill and commentary by Kimberly Koerber-Bauer-koerber

Quarantine Order Blocks Ohio Exotic Pet Owner from Reclaiming Animals
                       By Tara Dodrill


The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio was successful in blocking exotic pet owner Marian Thompson from reclaiming the six living animals released by her husband Terry before committing suicide. The incident last week at the exotic animal farm in Zanesville, Ohio, grabbed national attention after 56 animals were put down after being freed from their cages. Laws governing the ownership and care of wild animals in Ohio have been in a state of flux since the beginning of the year ..Quarantine Order Blocks Ohio Exotic Pet Owner from Reclaiming Animals



The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio was successful in blocking exotic pet owner Marian Thompson from reclaiming the six living animals released by her husband Terry before committing suicide. The incident last week at the exotic animal farm in Zanesville, Ohio, grabbed national attention after 56 animals were put down after being freed from their cages. Laws governing the ownership and care of wild animals in Ohio have been in a state of flux since the beginning of the year ..Quarantine Order Blocks Ohio Exotic Pet Owner from Reclaiming Animals



The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio was successful in blocking exotic pet owner Marian Thompson from reclaiming the six living animals released by her husband Terry before committing suicide. The incident last week at the exotic animal farm in Zanesville, Ohio, grabbed national attention after 56 animals were put down after being freed from their cages. Laws governing the ownership and care of wild animals in Ohio have been in a state of flux since the beginning of the year as the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has worked on comprehensive reform as tasked by Gov. John Kasich.

Here are some facts about the ongoing animal custody issue:

* The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was notified Friday by Thompson's attorney that she intended to reclaim legal ownership of the two moneys, three leopards and a grizzly bear. Zoo officials began appealing to state and federal agencies to block the transfer of custody.


 The Ohio Department of Agriculture blocked the removal of Thompson's exotic pets by issuing a quarantine order. A department veterinarian examined the exotic animals and decided they needed further observation and a quarantine was necessary. The quarantine order came after Kasich asked department officials to make sure the animals did not pose a health threat after he was informed that Thompson was planning to go to the zoo and reclaim the animals.


* Upon arrival to the zoo Thompson was presented with a copy of the quarantine order and prevented from taking the animals. The order cited laws that allowed the agriculture department to quarantine, investigate, inspect and test animals which may carry contagious diseases.


Full story and continued coverage daily available at this link:  http://news.yahoo.com/quarantine-order-blocks-ohio-exotic-pet-owner-reclaiming-135000331.html
Here are some facts about the ongoing animal custody issue:






* The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was notified Friday by Thompson's attorney that she intended to reclaim legal ownership of the two moneys, three leopards and a grizzly bear. Zoo officials began appealing to state and federal agencies to block the transfer of custody.


* The Ohio Department of Agriculture blocked the removal of Thompson's exotic pets by issuing a quarantine order. A department veterinarian examined the exotic animals and decided they needed further observation and a quarantine was necessary. The quarantine order came after Kasich asked department officials to make sure the animals did not pose a health threat after he was informed that Thompson was planning to go to the zoo and reclaim the animals.

* Upon arrival to the zoo Thompson was presented with a copy of the quarantine order and prevented from taking the animals. The order cited laws that allowed the agriculture department to quarantine, investigate, inspect and test animals which may carry contagious diseases.

Another story...

Zoo owner lets wild animals loose in Zanesville, Ohio



Scott Paulson, Conservative Examiner


October 19, 2011 
Zanesville, Ohio’s Mayor Howard Zwelling admits that he is quite worried about the public’s safety after wild animals were let loose by an Ohio zoo owner. After letting the animals loose from the Muskingum County Animal Farm, the zoo’s owner killed himself.



The zoo owner, Terry Thompson, 61, was known by the sheriff's department due to numerous contacts with him since 2004 regarding public complaints about the zoo.


Forty-eight dangerous animals including lions, bears, wolves, and tigers are roaming among the public in the Zanesville area.



The Mayor of Zanesville said:  "It’s my understanding that the county sheriff and deputies are out. The last I heard last night, they had killed over 25 of these wild animals, and there were 48 loose."

After being confronted with reports that the public is extremely concerned that the sheriff is killing the animals rather than tranquilizing them for capture, the Mayor added:

It bothers me a little bit also. I was not consulted about this. It happened outside the city, and so the sheriff has taken charge of this whole thing. I have not talked to the sheriff.

Officials say that it was too dangerous to be shooting tranquilizers in the dark last night.

School districts in the area are closed and residents are being advised to stay indoors.

The animals were reported loose at 5:30PM ET on Tuesday, and the search for wild animals was continuing as of 11:00AM ET on Wednesday.

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Commentary by Kimberly Koerber-Bauer-Koerber
The thing about this wild animal situation is that this is an example of 'development' that continues and is not able to be stopped.  Lions were kept in cages in Medina, Ohio.  the Lions were pets to residents of Medina, Ohio when i was in high school.  No one bothered to do anything about the lions then, and the lions needed to eat meat then also.  The odd thing about this is that many cars passed the lions cages on a daily basis, and saw the built in tennis court there also.  I 'thought' that the issue had to do with too liberal laws then in regard to having wild animals like lions there on private property and recently, the'special pets' were found in Zanesville.  Too bad the animals could not have been rescued and placed in a more traditional zoo setting, than a private preserve zoo setting that existed on someone's private property again.   One wonders how the animals were maintained and fed for as many years as they were in capitivity as I understand that certain animals who are carniverous are costly to maintain, according to what I knew before about the Lion issue. 

I think that Animal Rights Activists have not yet been heard in regard to this entire fiasco issue, but may be around the next corner.