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9th March 2023
07:11am GMT
Zookeepers say they could have the real-life sequel to 'Cocaine Bear' after a drugged-up exotic serval cat was brought into their care.
Hamilton County dog wardens were called out in January after a “leopard” was spotted in a tree in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Officials retrieved the animal from the tree and brought it to Cincinnati Animal Care (CAC), though it suffered a broken leg in the process, according to Cleveland.com.
A DNA test confirmed the cat, whose name was “Amiry,” was an exotic breed known as a serval, CAC community engagement manager Ray Anderson said.
“Our initial thought was the cat was a hybrid F1 Savannah, which is legal to own in Ohio, but our expert was pretty certain Amiry was a serval, which is illegal to own,” Anderson said.
Serval cats are illegal to own in Ohio but not in the neighboring states of Kentucky and Indiana, according to Cincinnati CBS affiliate WKRC TV.
However, a different test determined something unusual about Amiry: The animal tested positive for cocaine, though exactly how remains a mystery.
“Now, we can’t say how the animal got the cocaine in the system,” Anderson told Cincinnati Fox affiliate WXIX TV. “I don’t know if it was environmental or experimental.”
A statement issued by Cincinnati Zoo read:
“The serval has been receiving veterinary care in our Animal Health Center since he was brought here. He’s doing well, and the next step will be for our Cat Ambassador Program team to work with him and determine if he’s a good fit to be an ambassador animal. He will likely be behind the scenes for a while.”
Cocaine Bear was released in cinemas earlier this year.
The movie tells the bizarre story of a bear went a little too hard on the white powder in 1985, consuming several million dollars worth of the Class A drug.
We await reports on whether a sequel is in the works.
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