Two otters that escaped from Nomad’s Animal Encounter, Seminole, OK, in early April were missing from the facility at a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection April 26.
On April 5, Nomad’s Animal Encounter posted to Facebook, “Our 2 north American river otters have gotten out of their enclosure.”
The roadside zoo asked for the public’s help in locating the animals. The next day, the post was deleted and Nomad’s Animal Encounter failed to post an update on the otters.
Three weeks after the Facebook post, the USDA did an inspection at Nomad’s Animal Encounter. Although inspector Bonnie Boone documented 54 animals at the roadside zoo, North American river otters were not located at the facility.
Boone cited Nomad’s Animal Encounter with a non-critical violation for sanitation. “There was an excessive accumulation of rodent feces … “ the report said. “Rodent droppings can harbor viruses and bacteria harmful to other mammals, including humans. An effective program for the control of insects, ectoparasites, and avian and mammalian pests shall be established and maintained.”
It is unclear whether the otters remain at large, whether they have died, whether they have been sold, or whether they have been sent to another roadside zoo. All mention of the otters at Nomad’s Animal Encounter has been removed from their Facebook page.
Nomad's Animal Encounter April 2021 USDA Inspection report:
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