The residents of the Helmond district of Houtsdonk are now not very impressed: as soon as once more a serval has escaped there. The police warn that the animal is harmful and that folks ought to name 112 in the event that they see it. Additionally it is suggested to maintain animals corresponding to canine and cats indoors. That recommendation got here too late for Damian Muzarek. He was strolling his canine and got here throughout the animal. “Instantly I noticed two eyes,” he says.
The golden retriever runs enthusiastically round Damian’s legs on Saturday morning, clearly not impressed by his encounter with the tiger cat. “I used to be strolling the canine final night time and all of the sudden I noticed two eyes,” says Damian. It was the serval, who was observing the canine and its proprietor carefully. “I used to be cautious and backed up a bit, as a result of I did not know if it was going to do something. Then it ran away.”
READ ALSO: Police warn of escaped serval: ‘Preserve pets indoors’
So it ended properly for Damian and his canine. Based on the police, the serval, which is native to Africa, might be harmful. Damian agrees: “It is not a small cat. It is no downside that they’ve the animal at house, however then it should not run away.”
Cat not on a leash
How the animal managed to flee is unclear. It isn’t the primary time the serval has run away. “Final 12 months the animal had already escaped,” says native resident Carlo Hermans from his doorway.
He isn’t afraid of the animal and the truth that the serval is now strolling by means of the residential space doesn’t trouble him both. “Something can run away sooner or later. It is nature.” Carlo has seen the tiger cat earlier than. “The animal typically walks with its house owners on the road. Not on a leash, however the animal follows its house owners faithfully.”
The information {that a} serval is free has not but reached all locations within the residential space. “That’s such a tiger-like factor, a predator, proper?”, asks Ton Heerink. He walks previous an condominium constructing with a litter picker. He has not but encountered the animal throughout his ‘volunteer work’, as he himself says. “An animal like that doesn’t belong right here, however in a zoo. I’m not afraid of it, however there are loads of kids residing right here. That’s after all not good.”
READ ALSO: A free serval might be harmful: ‘Particularly if you happen to nook him’
Forbidden animal species
The serval has not too long ago been added to the record of prohibited pets within the Netherlands. There’s a transitional interval. Anybody who had such an animal of their house earlier than 1 January 2024 could merely hold it till it dies.
Transitional interval or not, based on Hennie van Ansem, it’s higher to not hold such an animal at house. “I feel the house owners usually are not taking excellent care of it, if the serval has escaped once more. I have no idea if the animal is harmful, but when I have been to come across it, I might stroll across the block.”
Based on the police, it’s not but clear whether or not this is identical serval that additionally escaped within the Helmond district within the autumn of 2023, nevertheless it appears seemingly.
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A serval additionally escaped in Tilburg earlier this 12 months
The escaped tiger cat that went lacking in Helmond final 12 months was discovered injured
