- Video shows Jean McKim, Executive Director of Imagine Planet.
- About 100 exotic animals were seized from the science center on Thursday.
- Jackson County Animal Control says the animals are being held as evidence and their locations cannot be disclosed at this time. Read the statement below.
"I didn't sleep a whole lot last night. I kept imagining my babies afraid and scared and cold," says Imagine Planet Executive Director, Jean McKim, referring to the 100 exotic animals taken by Jackson County Animal Control on Thursday. "A lot of these animals are sensitive animals, so that's a concern. It really is," says McKim.
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Animal control visited earlier in the week. Thursday, McKim was presented with a warrant before the animals were taken. "I was shocked. Absolutely blindsided," says McKim.
I reached out to Jackson County Shelter Director, Lydia Sattler about the seizure and where the animals are now. She said, in a statement:
Animal seizures aren't taken lightly or without thorough investigation or consideration. They are always the last resort when all other attempts have failed or when animals are in imminent danger. Nobody wants to separate people from animals. At the end of the day, we are responsible for ensuring the proper protection for animals that can't speak or care for themselves. As far as the details and evidence that led to the seizure, they will be revealed in court. The animals are being held as evidence and their locations are not able to be disclosed at this time.
With the possibility of charges, McKim hopes to be prepared. She says, "We're hoping to get a lawyer. They don't have cause for criminal charges. There's not a single animal that wasn't well taken care of." In the meantime, she has a plan to bring in volunteers to clean and rebuild the habitats. "Cleaning this place up, getting it to where, maybe, it could be, because we haven't had the money or the volunteers."
McKim plans to reopen Imagine Planet, with the remaining fish, fossils, minerals, books, etc. that were left behind.
I reached out to the prosecutor's office for information, and will update as we learn more.
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