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Sheriff Reflects On Response One Year After Exotic Animals Released
By: Michael Locklear
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Exactly one year since dozens of exotic animals were released from a Zanesville farm, a Muskingum County law enforcement official is reflecting on the division's response.
Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz spoke to a group at Ohio University-Lancaster Friday afternoon.
"We got very lucky as well as it went and if there's anything that we did that another community can see and prevent something like this from happening in their community, then all the better," he said.
Law enforcement officers tracked down and killed most of the animals. Since then, the state has enacted restrictions on dangerous wild animals.
"That's what it's about is the legislation and talking about it is to hope that people understand that places like this are ticking time bombs and anything can happen and that you need to be as prepared as possible," said Lutz.
Lutz has traveled across the country to talk to various groups about the response. He recently went to Washington, D.C. in support of a federal crackdown on exotic animal ownership.