A wild cat captured earlier this year with cocaine in its system is now living at an Ohio zoo.
The African serval known as Amiry was captured in late January after being spotted in a tree in Oakley, Ohio, a neighborhood in Cincinnati, the local news outlet WLWT5 reported.
“It was sure a sight to see, and after talking to the cat expert, he said we did a great job. And also [we were] pretty lucky because this cat could’ve shredded us apart and killed us,” the chief of the Hamilton county, Ohio, dog warden’s office, Troy Taylor, said to WKRC.
Amiry was taken to Cincinnati Animal Care (CAC), a local animal rescue, for further treatment. The cat’s leg was broken during the capture effort.
First thought to be a hybrid savannah cat, the wild cat was later properly identified through a DNA test as a serval.
Unlike savannah cats, servals are illegal in Ohio.
Medical examiners treating the wild cat also discovered that it had been exposed to cocaine after testing the cat for narcotics exposure.
Since CAC is unable to house exotic animals, the serval is being moved to the Cincinnati zoo for further treatment.
“We’re extremely proud of the work done in this case by the dog wardens and medical staff and are immensely appreciative to the Cincinnati zoo for getting Amiry the care he needs,” said CAC’s community engagement manager, Ray Anderson.
The serval’s owner has been reached and been cooperative with the investigation. Charges are not being pursued at this time by the county’s dog wardens.
Servals are wild cats native to Africa. They are known for their black spots and their ability to jump high, upwards of nearly 7ft in the air.
Another serval was spotted in Missouri over the course of six months by local farmers, Gizmodo reported.
After capturing the serval with bait, the group of farmers cared for the animal, even taking it to a local veterinarian for an appointment.
In February, the group surrendered the female serval to a wildlife sanctuary in Arkansas.
