An animal that many thought was a leopard became a national celebrity last summer. The owner of the illegal pet went underground, but after a year the police arrested her on Tuesday morning. – She was arrested at 5-6 today early in the Haugesund area, says her lawyer, Roy André Håkonsen Arteid, to VG. Since the summer of 2023, the woman has lived in hiding – in fear of losing her African pet. Then the exotic feline was observed along the street in Os outside Bergen. Naudetatane received many calls about the animal, and people were asked to keep their distance. The feline turned out to be a serval. The African feline is forbidden to have as a pet in Norway. The Norwegian Environment Agency reported the woman to the police, and stated that the animal would probably be killed. The owner was charged both with having the animal as a domestic animal and with bringing the animal into Norway. Last autumn, the Norwegian Environment Agency rejected a proposal to relocate the serval to South Africa. Has admitted criminal guilt While she was on the run, the woman has admitted criminal guilt on the phone to the police. She was released by the police this afternoon. Then during the day they had found and seized the serval. According to Arteid, the woman was today kept in solitary confinement until 2 p.m. He says to BT that she did not wish to contribute information that could lead to Niño being found. – She is a law-abiding citizen with the exception of the fact that she has kept this cat, says the defender. The police nevertheless found the serval in a house in the same area as where the woman was arrested in her car. It is not known if that is where the woman has been hiding. Servalen is now taken care of by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. What people thought was a leopard caused a lot of fuss and became a national celebrity when it was observed along the street alone in Os last summer. Photo: STEFFEN LJOSHEIM Fighting against euthanasia Tonight the serval is still alive, says police attorney André Jakobsen in the West police district. He says the case will be dealt with during the week. – We make a decision that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority confirms. They will decide what happens next, he says to VG. The feline is now in the custody of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, which does not wish to comment on the case. Arteid says he works with various agencies to prevent culling. The woman was interviewed by VG last year and told how she had quit her job, moved away from friends and family and did not dare to use a mobile phone for fear of being tracked electronically. Animal protection: – Don’t punish the animal The animal protection organization Noah believes owners of illegal pets should be punished. – Keeping exotic animals as pets should be prohibited both out of concern for animal welfare and the protection of species. Those who have illegally seen animals in such a situation should be punished. But killing the animal is not justifiable at all – it means punishing the victim, i.e. the animal, says Noah manager Siri Martinsen. It was her organization that proposed relocation to South Africa. – Noah has contacted the Norwegian Environment Agency several times to get permission to offer a solution where Niño can live on with good animal welfare in a species-appropriate environment. So far we have only been rejected, says Martinsen. NTB has today contacted the Norwegian Environment Agency, but has not succeeded in getting a comment. Published 24.09.2024, at 19.52 Updated 24.09.2024, at 19.58
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The serval was found when the owner was arrested – it is not known whether the animal will be euthanized – news Vestland
