Dec 13, 2008: Serval in Cellarland

[xoxoxoBruce]

I taht I tah a puddy tat.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officers (WCOs) confirmed today that a serval, an exotic cat from Africa that resembles a small cheetah, was killed the evening of Nov. 25, along Garrett Mill Road in Willistown Township, Chester County.

Montgomery County WCO Chris Heil received a call from a farm manager for a local farm about an exotic cat that was in his chicken coop killing chickens. WCO Heil told, under state law, the farmer had the authority to kill the animal to protect his livestock.

Today, Chester County WCO Scott Frederick retrieved the carcass and transported it to the Southeast Region Office in Reading. The owner has been identified and an investigation has been opened regarding the lawful ownership of the animal.

I did! I did taw a puddy tat...
It's a shame about the cat, but I don't blame the farm manager.
Although the Serval is not as big as Lions, Tigers, et al, I certainly wouldn't want to face it unarmed.
I'm sure the state will have lots of questions for the cat's owner.

[Cloud]

awww.

I find the attempts at breeding larger cats for domestic purposes interesting, but unsuccessful generally. Cats are just not as domesticated as dogs!

[footfootfoot]

Maple chips soaked in stout for the smoker, a rosemary garlic, olive oil rub,then stuffed with chicken forcemeat, obviously...

[ZenGum]

I believe Australia is presently considering legalising the importing and owning of these (or some similar larger-than-standard feline).

I mean, we worked hard to achieve the worlds worst rate of mammal extinction, we can't rest on our laurels.

[Undertoad]

More info. The beast had a collar!

http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/20...2843129594.txt

George Heim, caretaker of Garrett Mill Farm near Malvern, said Wednesday that a farm worker notified him around dinnertime Tuesday that an animal thought to be a bobcat had been locked inside the farm’s 25-bird chicken coop.

“It had lunged at him and hissed at him,” Heim told The Associated Press. “He got scared and didn’t know what to do.” The birds “were squawking bloody murder.”

Heim said he called a friend who works for the state Game Commission and was told he could shoot the animal. The Game Commission confirmed his account and said Heim was within his legal rights to protect his chickens.

Heim shot the serval dead inside the barn with a .22-caliber rifle, but his heart sank when he realized the cat was wearing a collar inscribed with a phone number. He does not know the owner’s name and the game commission did not release it. “I was sad for the animal, then I was angry at the people for allowing it to be out,” Heim said.

Heim said authorities told him they had already been informed that the serval was loose for about the past six weeks.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Heim said authorities told him they had already been informed that the serval was loose for about the past six weeks.

And didn't think it might be a good idea to tell anyone. Thanks guys.

[Griff]

They are a very tight-lipped organization. The last time I checked the gas companies leasing from the Game Commission hadn't even filed at the county courthouse. Then there's the whole mountain lion story...

[sweetwater]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Maple chips soaked in stout for the smoker, a rosemary garlic, olive oil rub,then stuffed with chicken forcemeat, obviously...

Was this a human recipe for the serval or a serval recipe for the chickens?

[darkwing duck]

So . . . who wants to get close enough to the live, angry serval to read the tags on the collar?

[Sperlock]

Must have been looking for a cheeseburger.

[badcat]

Poor thing. Someone got a wild cat, thought they could force it to be a domestic house cat, and in the end the cat got killed.

[BeltNah]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

I believe Australia is presently considering legalising the importing and owning of these (or some similar larger-than-standard feline).

I mean, we worked hard to achieve the worlds worst rate of mammal extinction, we can't rest on our laurels.

Zen there were a few people trying to legalise the cats, however Peter Garret put a stop to it for obvious reasons.

[Sundae]

Poor beauty. The farm manager did the right thing of course, but the serval was probably starving.

Still, there's not much more the owners could do if the cat escaped. They notifed the authorities after all. Probably very sad right now.

[spudcon]

We don't need no stinking Servals in America. Send them back to Africa, where they came from.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by BeltNah

Zen there were a few people trying to legalise the cats, however Peter Garret put a stop to it for obvious reasons.

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear the govt has done something sensible for once.