Latest news with #WebsterAnimalControl
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Here's where Goose, the 'elusive' monitor lizard on the loose in Mass., was spotted
A water monitor lizard that escaped from a Webster home last week was spotted in a Connecticut town, about five miles from home, officials in the town of Thompson said Friday, July 25. Webster Animal Control searched the area off Upper Gore Road in Webster on Friday, July 18, according to an updated statement. Officers called off the search and asked for the public's help in finding Goose, the five-foot-long, illegally owned reptile. Webster Police Deputy Chief Gordon Wentworth told MassLive that the lizard was 'very elusive.' Cooler evenings this week put Goose at risk, but 'he should (hopefully) be trying to seek out warmth and sun,' Webster Animal Control stated on Tuesday. Then, on July 25, Goose was spotted walking in the area of Little Pond on Wilsonville and Thompson roads. The Connecticut town is about five miles south of Webster. Thompson town officials ask that anyone who sees Goose should call Webster Animal Control at 508-943-1212, or Connecticut State Police at 860-779-4900. More Local Animal Stories Swimmers pulled from water at 2 Mass. beaches due to sharks this week 50 pets from flood-ravaged Texas coming to Mass.; MSPCA expands capacity Dog dies, but residents escape injury in Holyoke house fire Read the original article on MassLive. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Elusive' monitor lizard on the loose is back in Mass. after recently seen in Conn.
Goose, a five-foot-long water monitor lizard that escaped his home weeks ago and was recently spotted in Connecticut, has returned to the Bay State, Massachusetts Environmental Police said after they received a call on Wednesday. Officers went to the area where Goose was seen, but they could not find him, Environmental Police said in a statement on Thursday. 'We are working closely with reptile experts, Rain Forest Reptiles, to help us locate and capture the animal,' the statement added. The illegally owned reptile escaped the home in Webster on July 18, prompting Webster Animal Control to conduct a search of the area off Upper Gore Road. Officers called off the search and asked for the public's help in finding Goose. Webster Police Deputy Chief Gordon Wentworth told MassLive that the lizard was 'very elusive.' Then, on July 25, Goose was spotted walking in the area of Little Pond on Wilsonville and Thompson roads in Thompson, Connecticut, about five miles south of Webster. Environmental Police ask the public not to approach the lizard and not to try to capture it. Children and pets are to be kept away from potential hiding places, including brush, woodpiles and water edges. 'Water monitor lizards are illegal to possess in Massachusetts without a permit,' Environmental Police stated. 'This animal was being kept without proper authorization, and the Massachusetts Environmental Police are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding its possession and escape.' If anyone sees Goose, call Environmental Police at 800-632-8075 and press one, or call Webster Animal Control at 508-943-1212 ext. 1240. More Local Animal Stories Anonymous tip saved cat from abuse that broke his tail — now he needs a loving home Fire at a Mass. home started inside a snake enclosure in a bedroom Goose, 'elusive' monitor lizard on the loose from Webster, spotted in Conn. Read the original article on MassLive. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Yahoo
Carnivorous Lizard Escapes Mass. Home Through Second Story Window. Now, He's On the Lam in Connecticut
Water monitor lizard named Goose first went missing on Friday, July 18NEED TO KNOW Goose, the water monitor lizard, went missing after he escaped from a Webster, Mass. home on Friday, July 18 He was spotted on Friday, July 25, in Thompson, Conn. However, he is still on the loose, and Thompson Animal Control and Webster Animal Control are still trying to rescue himA missing carnivorous lizard named Goose has been spotted across state lines. The water monitor lizard has been on the loose since it left a Webster, Mass., home on Friday, July 18. The 5-foot-long lizard fled from the home's second-floor window after someone who was house-sitting opened the window. "This animal is owned illegally, and it is important to call animal control as soon as there is a spotting so we can capture it. We do have a reptile specialist we are working with," Webster Animal Control wrote on social media on Friday, July 18. A week later, on Friday, July 25, the Town of Thompson, Conn., announced on social media that Goose was spotted in the Little Pond area of Wilsonville Road and Thompsonville Road. Thompson is located about five miles south of Webster. Thompson officials reiterated Webster Animal Control's statement and said the town is also working with a reptile specialist. While these lizards are not seen as a threat to humans, dogs or cats, Thompson officials noted that people should not attempt to approach Goose. 'Please DO NOT approach and let the professionals handle the animal," the town's July 25 statement read. The public service announcement also informed residents that 'these types of lizards are known to travel, climb trees, and seek out water.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'They searched the area but couldn't find it,' Webster Police Chief Michael Shaw told Fox 61. 'It was spotted I guess under a car over the line in Thompson, pretty far over the line, maybe a mile, or a mile and a half, so it's quite a distance from where it came if that's the lizard.' 'They do bite and they have some pretty nasty bacteria in their mouth, that can cause some damage to a person,' Shaw said, adding that the lizard "won't attack you, they're not dangerous.' "This is a first in my 29 years in law enforcement," Shaw said, per CBS News. "Just when we thought we had seen it all, we came across a missing water monitor." 'We come out in the morning and we're looking around in the flower beds, hopefully you don't see something come out of it,' Thompson resident John Despelteau told Fox 61. Meanwhile, his wife Debra noted that when John is driving she will look out the window "up in the trees to see if it's in a tree, or if it's in the woods walking around." "I'm always looking for it now," she added. "I actually feel bad for it, people are making a lot of jokes about it, but I feel bad because I'm afraid he's gonna die. We're hoping they find him and that he stays safe and they get him where he needs to be.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Yahoo
Carnivorous Lizard Escapes Mass. Home Through Second Story Window. Now, He's On the Lam in Connecticut
Water monitor lizard named Goose first went missing on Friday, July 18NEED TO KNOW Goose, the water monitor lizard, went missing after he escaped from a Webster, Mass. home on Friday, July 18 He was spotted on Friday, July 25, in Thompson, Conn. However, he is still on the loose, and Thompson Animal Control and Webster Animal Control are still trying to rescue himA missing carnivorous lizard named Goose has been spotted across state lines. The water monitor lizard has been on the loose since it left a Webster, Mass., home on Friday, July 18. The 5-foot-long lizard fled from the home's second-floor window after someone who was house-sitting opened the window. "This animal is owned illegally, and it is important to call animal control as soon as there is a spotting so we can capture it. We do have a reptile specialist we are working with," Webster Animal Control wrote on social media on Friday, July 18. A week later, on Friday, July 25, the Town of Thompson, Conn., announced on social media that Goose was spotted in the Little Pond area of Wilsonville Road and Thompsonville Road. Thompson is located about five miles south of Webster. Thompson officials reiterated Webster Animal Control's statement and said the town is also working with a reptile specialist. While these lizards are not seen as a threat to humans, dogs or cats, Thompson officials noted that people should not attempt to approach Goose. 'Please DO NOT approach and let the professionals handle the animal," the town's July 25 statement read. The public service announcement also informed residents that 'these types of lizards are known to travel, climb trees, and seek out water.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'They searched the area but couldn't find it,' Webster Police Chief Michael Shaw told Fox 61. 'It was spotted I guess under a car over the line in Thompson, pretty far over the line, maybe a mile, or a mile and a half, so it's quite a distance from where it came if that's the lizard.' 'They do bite and they have some pretty nasty bacteria in their mouth, that can cause some damage to a person,' Shaw said, adding that the lizard "won't attack you, they're not dangerous.' "This is a first in my 29 years in law enforcement," Shaw said, per CBS News. "Just when we thought we had seen it all, we came across a missing water monitor." 'We come out in the morning and we're looking around in the flower beds, hopefully you don't see something come out of it,' Thompson resident John Despelteau told Fox 61. Meanwhile, his wife Debra noted that when John is driving she will look out the window "up in the trees to see if it's in a tree, or if it's in the woods walking around." "I'm always looking for it now," she added. "I actually feel bad for it, people are making a lot of jokes about it, but I feel bad because I'm afraid he's gonna die. We're hoping they find him and that he stays safe and they get him where he needs to be.' Read the original article on People
Boston Globe
19-07-2025
- Boston Globe
Large lizard on the loose in Webster
After consulting with professionals, police called off the search Friday night due to the amount of time the animal had been loose. The water monitor lizard is known to travel, They do not attack humans or dogs and cats, animal control said in the post. Advertisement Police are urging Webster residents to call animal control or the police department if they spot the lizard. They strongly advise residents against approaching the lizard themselves. Webster Animal Control did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. Water monitors can reach lengths exceeding eight feet, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The lizards prey on invertebrates, fish, corpses, and feces. The species is native to most of Southeast Asia and today largely populates the coasts of Florida. Water monitors in Florida and California are most likely escaped or released pets, according to a USGS webpage for the species. Jade Lozada can be reached at
