HOUSTON – Houston police officers and BARC officials discovered a monkey underneath a truck after it appeared to have suffered a dog bite in southeast Houston on Monday evening.
Officials received a call for a vicious animal on the loose on Telephone Road near Orem Drive at around 9 a.m.
BARC officers arrived at the scene and found a monkey hiding under a pickup truck. Police said a witness told the BARC official that the animal was attacked by a dog.
Police worked with the BARC official to retrieve the monkey from the truck’s undercarriage using a leash. Once they pulled out the animal, the BARC official wrapped it in a blanket and carried it away.
Officials worked with residents in the neighborhood to find the owner of the monkey, but they did not answer.
Police at the scene told KPRC 2 that finding the animal on the loose “was definitely the first.”
“It’s something that we weren’t expecting when we got dispatched out there,” said Officer J. Rodriguez with HPD. “It’s definitely the first for me. I’m pretty sure a lot of people out here haven’t seen something like that.”
BARC officials said the monkey attempted to bite the field officer at the scene, but they weren’t hurt.
The monkey was treated for minor injuries and was turned over to a wildlife center in League City. However, officials were unable to perform a full workup due to its behavior.
According to BARC, monkeys are not illegal to own in city limits as long as their adult weight limit does not exceed 20 pounds.