COLUMBUS — A hearing requested by Marian Thompson of Zanesville as part of an effort to recover her exotic animals from the Ohio Department of Agriculture has been scheduled for March 12.
The five animals remained quarantined at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Authorities originally seized six animals — two leopards, two monkeys, a bear and a spotted leopard — from the Zanesville area farm where Terry Thompson released more than 50 exotic animals before killing himself in October 2011. Authorities were forced to shoot and kill the remaining animals in the interest of public safety.
One of the six seized was euthanized following an accident at the zoo.
According to reports, one of the black leopards, Anton, was struck in the neck by a closing cage door on Jan. 29.
The leopard was found to have had a congenital spinal defect, which officials said may have made the injury more severe.
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