Caiman found in Philadelphia's FDR Park was euthanized, agency says
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- State game officials were unable to find a home for Cayman the caiman, a reptile who was found abandoned in the city's FDR Park earlier this month.
The caiman was found in the park on Sunday, March 5, and was briefly cared for by ACCT Philly, who then handed Cay Man over to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The state Fish and Boat Commission did not have an officer available to take the caiman at the time.
"Efforts to re-home the caiman were unsuccessful and the animal was later euthanized," a spokesperson for the PFBC wrote in an email.
The commission tries to work with rescue groups and re-home animals in need of help. But non-native species can pose a danger to other wildlife and discarded exotic pets
ACCT Philly had said Cay Man was most likely an exotic pet who grew too large for its owner to handle and abandoned him, though it's illegal to abandon animals.
"These animals don't know how to adapt to the PA life," the group said in a post on March 5. "They will have a hard time catching prey in less than ideal settings so easier prey (small dogs, for example) will become more appealing."
Caimans can live up to 40 years, and when grown will "require a minimum small studio apartment that is half water (kept at a minimum of 70 degrees)," ACCT Philly explained.
ACCT Philly said in a statement, "It's extremely sad to hear that Cay Man was euthanized after we had been told he would go to a rehab facility. We would have found alternative placement had we known euthanasia was being considered. Sadly, the harder an animal is to place and the less furry and fuzzy they are, the more likely they are to be failed by people, and Cay Man was failed multiple times along the way. They are difficult animals to care for, and ideally would never be pets, but for those who have not been born in the wild and need homes, there are organizations who can provide that care and we hope anyone considering a pet like this will choose to foster for a reptile rescue instead. We ask that any organization that was in a position to take him reach out to us to become a rescue partner so that the next Cay Man we take in will find placement where they will truly get the care they need to live long healthy lives."
