April 2 (UPI) -- A suspected African serval cat spotted wandering loose in Ohio was safely captured, local authorities said.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office issued a public alert Monday warning residents of a suspected serval, an exotic cat native to Africa, spotted wandering loose in Warren Township.
Sheriff Mark Warden confirmed the serval was located and safely captured later Monday.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture is now investigating the escape.
"The cat is no longer loose, however, we are still working to confirm the breed of cat," the department said in a statement to The Parkersburg News and Sentinel.
Servals are not legal to keep as pets in Ohio, as they are classified as dangerous wild animals. Savannah cats, hybrids of servals and domestic cats, are not covered by the same classification and are legal to keep in the state.
