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Louisiana Rescues Illegally Kept Serval From Backyard Cage

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 4:54 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Louisiana firefighters rescued an illegally kept African serval from a backyard cage.
JPaws director Michelle Brignac and supervisor Victoria Clark took the serval to the Harvey facility.
The owner lacked an exotic-animal permit, prompting JPaws to house the serval alone while seeking placement.
Experts say servals need specialized diets and care beyond domestic cats.
Social-media popularity has spurred serval ownership, contributing to a 2023 Cincinnati cocaine case.

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Story summary

Louisiana firefighters rescued an illegally kept African serval from a backyard cage.
JPaws director Michelle Brignac and supervisor Victoria Clark took the serval to the Harvey facility.
The owner lacked an exotic-animal permit, prompting JPaws to house the serval alone while seeking placement.
Experts say servals need specialized diets and care beyond domestic cats.
Social-media popularity has spurred serval ownership, contributing to a 2023 Cincinnati cocaine case.