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Is that a wild animal or somebody’s pet?

That’s probably hard to tell if you’re an animal control officer staring at a bobcat. My first reaction would be that it’s a wild animal that’s wandered into town and needs to be returned to his home in the woods. That’s what animal control officers in Fort Smith, Ark., thought, too. They captured the cat out of someone’s yard and turned him loose several miles outside of town.

Turns out, the bobcat was someone’s pet.

Now they have a plan they hope will prevent problems like this: an exotic animal registry. Not a bad idea. If welfare workers find a creature that blurs the line between pet and wild animal, they’ll have a list to check before they dump it in the woods. Kudos, Fort Smith.

- Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

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