Latest news with #reptileescape
Yahoo
6 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
CBS News
19-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Neighbors on alert after 5-foot-long lizard escapes home in Massachusetts
Police say a 5-foot-long water monitor lizard escaped from a home in Webster, Massachusetts on Friday. Now they're looking for it and so is the entire neighborhood. It isn't your typical neighborhood watch. Neighbors are on alert after Webster Animal Control says the reptile escaped from its pet owner on Blueberry Lane, leaping out of a second-floor window, according to neighbors. "It's crazy, like I can't even put my head to it, it's scary," said neighbor Giana Holland. "I looked out the window and the back window in the back of that house like the screen is busted open because it jumped out of the screen and off of the roof this morning," said neighbor Olivia Williams. Police say the leaping lizard got loose while someone was house sitting and opened the window. Even for Webster Police it's a first. "This is a first in my 29 years in law enforcement," said Chief Michael Shaw. "Just when we thought we had seen it all, we came across a missing water monitor." Police say the owner got it from New Hampshire about 2-3 weeks ago, but Massachusetts Environmental Police say it's illegal to have this type of reptile in Massachusetts unless you have a permit, which police say this homeowner did not. "There's a certain reason we can't have these and there's a certain responsibility that go with being a pet owner," said Chief Shaw. "As a pet owner you are responsible for it, so in the end we need to take that responsibility just like we do with our children, very seriously." Not even a drone from first responders could spot the creature. Neighbors say they've helped searched for other lizards in the past. "I just went on a loop, and I didn't really see much, I was hoping to see some action, but I didn't," said neighbor Joey Gajewski. Experts say water monitors love to travel, go up trees and they especially love water. "I'm like scared because I don't want it to end up in my pool, but honestly I think it's cool that they do that, but I don't know it's a little concerning," said Willams. Concerning enough that neighbors are watching their steps and pets closely. "I just think it's crazy that's all and I'm not walking in the woods," said neighbor Ann Annese. Experts say these lizards are generally not dangerous to humans, but don't try to corral them if you spot them. WBZ reached out to the lizard's owner. They really want to find the lizard, but they requested their privacy.
