GALVESTON, Texas – Galveston police said Tuesday that the search for a missing pet monkey is continuing after calling reports of the monkey’s death “premature.”
Police said the Capuchin monkey named Lilly may have escaped during a burglary Monday evening at a home near 19th Street and Sealy Avenue.
Local media reported that the monkey was found dead surfaced Tuesday morning but was debunked by police.
Lt. Joel Caldwell said Lilly was last seen Monday around 5:30 p.m. when someone witnessed the primate being hit by a car in the 1800 block of Broadway.
Caldwell said the monkey is likely scared. The animal control officers hope to find Lilly before the wrong person does.
“What scares us is that a child or somebody is gonna try and pick up this animal and the animal is gonna bite them or scratch them or do something of that nature,” Caldwell said.
Lt. Caldwell said Lilly’s owners could be charged since exotic animals like Capuchins are illegal within city limits.
“At this time charges are being considered and it is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a minimal fine,” he said.
The family who lives at the house that was burglarized spoke to KPRC 2. The female homeowner did not want to be identified but claims Lilly belonged to her mother. She said she was pet-sitting the animal for a few days.
“(It’s) my mother’s pet that we were watching while she’s out of town,” the homeowner said. “We don’t know what’s happen to her. We are unsure. We don’t know anything about it.”
The homeowner’s security cameras captured a man making several trips inside the home and leaving with several bags of property and a large heater. The homeowner believes Lilly escaped somehow during that time.
Lilly is social but the public is asked not to attempt to capture the animal. Instead, police are asking people who spot the animal to call the Galveston Police Department at 409-765-3701.