The
six surviving exotic animals freed by their suicidal owner in Ohio will
be kept under quarantine at a zoo for now instead of going to the man’s
widow, the state Agriculture Department ordered yesterday. 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 Terry Thompson set them free
in a rural area of eastern Ohio. The zoo said it had Marian’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 private
veterinarian for the Agriculture Department looked at the animals and
determined they needed to remain quarantined, as allowed by Ohio law.
The Agriculture Department said it was concerned about reports that the
animals had lived in unsanitary conditions where they could be exposed
to disease, and the order provides a chance to investigate their health.
It prevents the zoo from releasing them until it’s clear they’re
disease-free.
