CHESTER, S.C. — Chester officials said a loose African serval that escaped a house during a fire on Wednesday night has been found.
The fire happened at a home on East Lacey Street in Chester. When firefighters arrived at the house, the owner told them his African serval ran away during the fire. Two domestic cats were found dead at the house.
The serval was found on Friday, and has since been taken to an animal sanctuary in Florida.
The African serval is not domesticated and poses a "significant risk" to the public due to potential aggression and strength, city officials said. Chester Police said it is not illegal to own or transport an African serval within the state, citing the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). SCDNR issued a statement saying it doesn't prohibit the ownership and possession of servals, saying the agency doesn't have any regulatory authority on the species.
Police previously said the SCDNR initially issued a "shoot on sight" order then rescinded the notice after consulting with local law enforcement; Chester Police have since clarified that SCDNR had not issued a "shoot on sight" order, citing instead a miscommunication with animal control.
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Chester officials gave the owner four hours to locate the animal. If the animal wasn't found in that timeframe, officers were told to take "necessary measures," including killing the serval.
Chester residents were encouraged to be vigilant and report any sightings of the serval to the police. People were told not to approach or attempt to capture the cat due to potential danger, and children and pets were to be supervised and kept indoors until the serval is found.
There is no longer a direct threat to residents, police said.
Note: A previous version of this story cited Chester County officials as the source of information. The information was released by officials with the city of Chester. This has been updated in the story.
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