Usually, the reward money comes before the catch. That's not the case here. Now we know it's serious.
The Suffolk County SPCA announced a $5,000 reward Thursday for information leading to the arrest of the person "responsible for owning and endangering the public" with a Eurasian lynx.
The lynx in question was captured in late July after a three-day jaunt through the streets of Central Islip. It was taken to an animal shelter and police had said they believed something was keeping it illegally as a pet.
What's the big deal, you ask?
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The Eurasian lynx is one among many "dangerous animals" banned to own in New York without a special license, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. (See the full list here.) Releasing any animals on that list into the environment also violates state law and can lead to arrests and fines.
Furthermore, the SPCA points out, "According to Article 26 of the NYS Agriculture and Markets Law, no person shall knowingly own, possess, harbor any wild animal capable of inflicting bodily harm upon a human being or failing to exercise due care in safeguarding the public."
Don't want a lynx to inflict bodily harm on you? The SPCA says if you see one, don't touch or handle it. Call professionals with the SPCA (631-382-7722) or NYSDEC (631-444-0250), which have trained people to handle them and get them to appropriate sanctuaries. Anyone with information on the Eurasian lynx owner is asked to call one of those numbers.
News
There was no update on the status of the Eurasian lynx recently caught on Long Island in the SPCA's Thursday update. It initially was taken to Strong Island Animal Rescue League for evaluation, but it's not clear where it is now.
