June 11, 2003 Whitehall Township, PA A man was bitten on the shoulder by one of several poisonous snakes he kept in his apartment. Police confiscated 10 poisonous snakes. Reptiles
June 6, 2003 Westford, MA A large cat, likely a cougar, was spotted roaming the neighborhood. Big Cats
June 3, 2003 Rockledge, FL An 80-lb Burmese python, Lurch, escaped his cage and wrapped himself tightly around the leg of his possessor’s mother. Paramedics arrived and freed the woman. Reptiles
June 1, 2003 Los Angeles, CA A goral goat antelope discovered a hole in the fence of its exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo and escaped before the zoo opened. Other
May 17, 2003 RI A “pet” piranha attacked and bit a small child on the finger. The child was rushed to the hospital and expected to be fine. Other
May 16, 2003 Macon, GA A “pet” tortoise was found roaming a neighborhood. The reptile was subsequently recaptured and returned to her home. Reptiles
May 8, 2003 Cedar Rapids, IA A 300-lb black bear escaped from its cage and was later recaptured. Bears
May 8, 2003 IN A wild cat attacked a woman’s parked car. Police suspected that the wild cat escaped from a private home. Big Cats
May 7, 2003 Las Vegas, NV Wayne Newton’s “pet” wallaby escaped from her home and led police and Animal Control on a 2-mile chase before she was recaptured. Other