TIMES-DELTA (Visalia, California) 02 September 06 Lizard caught; snake not found - Officials may still be searching for reptile that bit dog (Jed Chernabaeff)
Tension in a south Visalia neighborhood was relieved temporarily Friday afternoon when a 2-foot monitor lizard reported missing just a day before was captured by a gardener.
But nerves are still on edge in the neighborhood, as a venomous snake, who animal control officials say may be linked to the killing of a dog after biting it weeks ago, could still be on the loose.
Visalia gardener Ken Peterson said the Savannah monitor lizard, named Steve-O, was crawling on sun-baked pavement while he was driving east in the 2700 block of James Street, near where it was reported to have escaped.
Ken Peterson said a neighborhood resident first spotted the lizard and flagged Peterson down.
"The neighbor spotted the lizard and called 911," Peterson said. "I drove up, and the lizard ran toward the curb toward a tube."
The tube, a drain pipe along the base of a 2-foot wooden fence between two homes, served as the device to trap the lizard, Peterson said.
"I stuck two sticks on each side of the pipe and trapped it," Peterson said. "Then we waited for police and animal control."
When they arrived, they helped pick up the tube and quickly returned it to the lizard's owners, who live five houses south in the 3700 block of Verde Vista Street.
Peterson said he followed the animal control and police officers to the lizard's owners.
While preparing meat for a barbecue in his kitchen, neighbor Ernie Remmilard said he saw the men with the plastic tubing run across his yard south toward the owner's home.
"I looked up and saw these guys with a tube racing across my lawn," said Remmilard, who lives in the home that the small wooden fence borders. "I wasn't sure what was going on until all the neighbors came out."
Peterson, who lives on Woodland Street just east of Monte Verde Street, said he was relieved to have caught the lizard and hopes it brings some sort of relief to a neighborhood, which has been on edge after the dog was bitten by a reported venomous snake.
"It was real close to where the dog was bitten so I'm hoping [the lizard was the one who bit the dog] so people can now sleep at night," Peterson said. "I'm hoping this was all it was."
With animal control, police, and Peterson running toward the home, Eric Martinez, 14, whose older brother owns the lizard, said he was surprised to see the men return the lizard in tubing.
"I saw two cops pull up with a pipe," Martinez said. "I was tripping because they brought it back in a pipe."
Martinez and his parents Rosie and Sal Martinez say the lizard is their oldest son, Steve's, pet and is harmless.
"He takes him for walks and plays with him," Rosie said.
Sal said the lizard, named Steve-O after its owner, escaped on Tuesday by slipping through the wire that is supposed to keep the lizard, and its twin, Mark-Nutz, caged.
Both say that the lizard is not responsible for biting the dog that had to be eventually euthanized.
"If the lizard got out last week, it wasn't the one that bit the dog," Rosie said. "That snake is still out there."
Rosie said her children do not own any other reptiles besides the two lizards which they keep in the back yard.
While the lizard is captured, animal control and city officials say there is a possibility that a venomous snake is still on the loose and neighbors should be cautious.
Jerry Herrmann, executive director of the Valley Oak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, expressed relief after the lizard was captured but warned neighbors to be cautious. He said he believes the lizard did not kill the dog.
He added that the Savannah monitor lizard is not venomous.
"The wound [to the dog] is not consistent with the monitor lizard," Herrmann said. "If I lived in that neighborhood, I would still be cautious."
Snake hot line
Herrmann said the animal control officers will be on call 24-hours a day all weekend if there are reports of a snake.
Some neighbors are glad that the lizard was captured, but are angry because they say there has been a lack of communication between the city and the public after reports of the snake.
Remmilard, who retired from the Tulare County Sheriff's Department in 1997, said it has been up to a small group of residents to keep everyone settled.
"Our concern was keeping the neighborhood calm," Remmilard said. "But it has been hard because people didn't have any information."
Remmilard said some neighbors have kept their children from playing outside and some gardeners have refused to provide service because of the threat of a snake.
"This has been a crazy trip in a quiet neighborhood," Remmilard said.
Neighbor Omar Lopez said he keeps his daughter and four nieces from playing outside because he hears rumors from neighbors, but hasn't received any notification via phone or letter.
"I think law enforcement and the city are pointing fingers and nobody wants to take control," Lopez said. "They need to keep us informed."
Getting the word out
Visalia's deputy city manager Leslie Caviglia said police officers and firefighters have gone door-to-door to inform and check up on neighbors, animal control has patrolled the neighborhood, and the city is urging residents to be cautious.
"I certainly think that is a good-faith effort along with the various media announcements to get the word out," Caviglia said.
Kaelin Souza, who lives on County Center Drive, said the neighborhood has not had consistent contact with the city and police.
"I feel like the Visalia Police Department, city, or SPCA is being negligent," Souza said. "Nobody wants to take ownership of the situation ... it's like nobody wants to take responsibility for it.
Lizard caught; snake not found