Earlier this week, a lemur being kept as a pet escaped from its owner in Springfield, Missouri. Officers Franchi and Davis were called on site after receiving a report of “a lemur in the road,” per the station’s Facebook page.
The officers chased it for a while, surrounded it and eventually “got it snuggled up” in a towel. The station’s post continues, “This all has an especially happy ending because the owners of the lemur reported their pet missing and were connected to animal control to be reunited!”
However, the lemur was reunited with its owners for less than a day. The station updated the post, saying since the city ordinance prohibits owning wild animals (such as lemurs) within city limits, “this little guy’s owners did end up surrendering it to animal control.”
The post continued, “The lemur has been connected to a local wildlife rescue agency where they will continue to be well cared for and loved!”
In 2020, the Lemur Conservation Network said, “98% of all listed lemur species — 103 out of 107 listed — are now threatened with extinction.” The network continued to list threats lemurs face that have pushed them to this point, citing habitat loss and “the pet lemur trade.”
Perhaps the network should partner with the Springfield Police and begin checking neighborhoods in Missouri.