POST-DISPATCH (St. Louis, Missouri) 07 August 06 Lizard in limbo: Where will the lizard call home? (Todd C. Frankel)

The future of the rare 5-foot lizard that spent six weeks on the lam in a St. Louis neighborhood - presumably dining on birds and dodging cars - is in legal limbo.

The lizard's 18-year-old owner wants the animal back. His mother would prefer not. The city's Animal Regulation Center seems to agree. The St. Louis Zoo has shown interest.

For now, the crocodile monitor, which is the longest lizard species in the world, rests comfortably with the St. Louis Herpetological Society. The group has custody of the animal until next week, said society President Steve Brown.

"He's doing fine," said Brown, who is caring for the reptile.

Brown noted that the lizard looked "very well-fed" after being captured Friday in a tree about a quarter-mile from where it escaped in the city's Compton Heights neighborhood. On June 15, the lizard burst from a cage stored in a garage by its owner, Zane Donaho.

He bought the lizard over the Internet for $500 in February. His mother learned of the purchase when it arrived at the door. She was not pleased. But her son is a devoted reptile hobbyist. He thought he could handle this dinosaur-esque animal, which can grow to be more than 10 feet long and features razor-sharp teeth.

No city laws prohibit the animal from being kept in a private home.

But city officials have expressed interest in finding another home for the lizard, Brown said.

The Zoo has said it will take the lizard, Brown said.

"My son wants it back. He's really upset," Shelley Donaho said.

Zane Donaho recently moved to Texas to live with his father.

Shelley Donaho said she hopes the lizard ends up at the Zoo.

That way her son will have two reasons to visit St. Louis: his mother and his lizard.



http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/D4ACE6E9F2DF4AAF862571C4001B8491?OpenDocument

[ Show Entire Thread ]