Woman said she thought she was getting a free dog in Detroit, but wound up with hyena
Woman thinks she’s getting a free dog in Detroit, but winds up with a hyena.
Posted at 3:26 PM, Aug 06, 2021 and last updated 12:31 PM, Aug 06, 2021
(WXYZ) — Editor's note: WXYZ-TV is working to verify the resident's account via the veterinarian she says she visited with the animal.
Monica, a Detroit resident, thought she was walking away with a newborn puppy several weeks ago after she says a man was handing them out at Papaya Fruit Market at Warren Ave and Mettetal St. in Detroit.
“He told me it was a German Shepherd puppy,” said Monica.
Immediately smitten, Monica says in the days and weeks that followed, she noticed something was off and that the animal was a tremendous jumper.
“It was making a strange noise … it’s already funny looking, so we just thought ... maybe something was wrong with it, we took it to the vet,” she said.
But the veterinarian didn’t have good news.
“The vet said, ‘no, this is not a German Shepherd,’” said Monica. “They did do blood work on the animal, but they said from the looks, the way it acts … everything, it was a hyena.”
Monica said after they broke the news to her, they then called animal control, telling her it was illegal to keep the animal.
Worried they were going to kill the hyena, Monica said she left quickly.
“Sometimes she acts like a cat, like when I’m sleeping … it’s like a regular animal,” Monica said. “I feel like my animals are my children.”
Monica said the man outside the fruit market had about five hyena pups he was giving away. Other people out there may not realize they have a hyena pup.
According to Dr. Nora Wineland, State Veterinarian and MDARD Animal Industry Division Director, “There are no state restrictions in Michigan related to owning or possessing a hyena. Hyenas are legal to own at a state level in Michigan, and no state permit or license is required. Although hyenas are legal to own at a state level, there could be local restrictions at a city, township, or county level.”
Detroit Animal Care and Control said they are not legal in the city.
“Pretty much if you don’t own a dog, cat, ferret, guinea pig, or a similar pocket pet that you could pick up at a local pet shop, those animals are going to be illegal,” said Mark Kumpf, director of Detroit Animal Care. “Anything that you would see running loose in the wild, anything that might appear in a zoo or a circus, the rule is those aren’t going to be acceptable in a regular home."
Monica said she plans to keep her hyena, whatever it takes.
“I’m prepared to move if they need me to move,” she said.
Monica told 7 Action News she did not want to use her real name or name the vet for fear of the animal being taken away.
https://www.wxyz.com/news/woman-thinks-shes-getting-a-free-dog-in-detroit-winds-up-with-a-hyena
Woman thinks she’s getting a free dog in Detroit, but winds up with a hyena.
Posted at 3:26 PM, Aug 06, 2021 and last updated 12:31 PM, Aug 06, 2021
(WXYZ) — Editor's note: WXYZ-TV is working to verify the resident's account via the veterinarian she says she visited with the animal.
Monica, a Detroit resident, thought she was walking away with a newborn puppy several weeks ago after she says a man was handing them out at Papaya Fruit Market at Warren Ave and Mettetal St. in Detroit.
“He told me it was a German Shepherd puppy,” said Monica.
Immediately smitten, Monica says in the days and weeks that followed, she noticed something was off and that the animal was a tremendous jumper.
“It was making a strange noise … it’s already funny looking, so we just thought ... maybe something was wrong with it, we took it to the vet,” she said.
But the veterinarian didn’t have good news.
“The vet said, ‘no, this is not a German Shepherd,’” said Monica. “They did do blood work on the animal, but they said from the looks, the way it acts … everything, it was a hyena.”
Monica said after they broke the news to her, they then called animal control, telling her it was illegal to keep the animal.
Worried they were going to kill the hyena, Monica said she left quickly.
“Sometimes she acts like a cat, like when I’m sleeping … it’s like a regular animal,” Monica said. “I feel like my animals are my children.”
Monica said the man outside the fruit market had about five hyena pups he was giving away. Other people out there may not realize they have a hyena pup.
According to Dr. Nora Wineland, State Veterinarian and MDARD Animal Industry Division Director, “There are no state restrictions in Michigan related to owning or possessing a hyena. Hyenas are legal to own at a state level in Michigan, and no state permit or license is required. Although hyenas are legal to own at a state level, there could be local restrictions at a city, township, or county level.”
Detroit Animal Care and Control said they are not legal in the city.
“Pretty much if you don’t own a dog, cat, ferret, guinea pig, or a similar pocket pet that you could pick up at a local pet shop, those animals are going to be illegal,” said Mark Kumpf, director of Detroit Animal Care. “Anything that you would see running loose in the wild, anything that might appear in a zoo or a circus, the rule is those aren’t going to be acceptable in a regular home."
Monica said she plans to keep her hyena, whatever it takes.
“I’m prepared to move if they need me to move,” she said.
Monica told 7 Action News she did not want to use her real name or name the vet for fear of the animal being taken away.
https://www.wxyz.com/news/woman-thinks-shes-getting-a-free-dog-in-detroit-winds-up-with-a-hyena
