09-05-2011, 08:48 AM
This is going on around the corner from where I live. Joy....
HARRISON TOWNSHIP -- Exotic animal experts were hoping to hunt down a black leopard on the loose Thursday night. It’s been spotted five separate times in the area of Needmore Rd. and N. Main St. since March. The last two sightings were this week.
Chris Walden spotted the leopard Wednesday night stalking through the woods behind his house.
“Something has to be done about this,” Walden said. “If it’s this close to people and their families, someone could get killed. And there’s a daycare right down the road!”
Authorities believe the leopard is actually someone’s pet that has repeatedly escaped.
“That’s a wild animal, you can’t tame something like that,” said Walden.
Exotic animal expert Tim Harrison and his partner geared up with dart guns and infrared equipment Thursday night to try and catch the cat before someone gets hurt.
“It could have gone home again. It’s like a needle in a haystack. This is a jet black leopard. It could be sitting in these bushes right now and we wouldn’t even see it,” Harrison said.
“It’s scary, it’s scary. It could be up in the trees and jump on us,” added Walden.
Harrison has a message to the owner of the black leopard. If it does come home, call his rescue organization, Outreach for Animals, and he will come remove the leopard from the house. He says having a pet leopard that regularly escapes is a recipe for disaster.Leopard Watch!
Friday, September 2 2011, 01:07 AM EDT
HARRISON TOWNSHIP -- Exotic animal experts were hoping to hunt down a black leopard on the loose Thursday night. It’s been spotted five separate times in the area of Needmore Rd. and N. Main St. since March. The last two sightings were this week.
Chris Walden spotted the leopard Wednesday night stalking through the woods behind his house.
“Something has to be done about this,” Walden said. “If it’s this close to people and their families, someone could get killed. And there’s a daycare right down the road!”
Authorities believe the leopard is actually someone’s pet that has repeatedly escaped.
“That’s a wild animal, you can’t tame something like that,” said Walden.
Exotic animal expert Tim Harrison and his partner geared up with dart guns and infrared equipment Thursday night to try and catch the cat before someone gets hurt.
“It could have gone home again. It’s like a needle in a haystack. This is a jet black leopard. It could be sitting in these bushes right now and we wouldn’t even see it,” Harrison said.
“It’s scary, it’s scary. It could be up in the trees and jump on us,” added Walden.
Harrison has a message to the owner of the black leopard. If it does come home, call his rescue organization, Outreach for Animals, and he will come remove the leopard from the house. He says having a pet leopard that regularly escapes is a recipe for disaster.Leopard Watch!
Friday, September 2 2011, 01:07 AM EDT