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Ohio Department of Agriculture Halts Moving Of Exotic Animals
< < Back to ohio-department-agriculture-halts-exotic-animal-moveThe Ohio Department of Agriculture put a halt to Marian Thompson's plans to take bring her exotic animals back to Muskingum County from the Columbus Zoo.
The department issued a quarantine order for the six animals, saying the animals could be carrying diseases based on the conditions from the Thompson farm.
According to a news release, the order "is in effect indefinitely and prohibits the Columbus Zoo from moving or releasing the animals to their owner until they are determined to no longer be a potential disease threat."
Marian Thompson permitted the zoo to take the surviving animals after her husband, Terry Thompson, released 48 lions, bears, and tigers and then killed himself.
Thompson had notified the zoo she would reclaim the three leopards, two primates and one young grizzly bear this afternoon.
Prior to the order, the zoo had no legal right to keep the animals.