Ohio agriculture officials decided on Monday that four exotic animals may return to the Zanesville farm from which they were released in October after the farm’s owner, Terry Thompson, killed himself. The state says it does not have authority to keep the spotted leopard, black leopard, and two Celebes macaques that are currently quarantined at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Local authorities will ultimately decide whether Thompson’s widow Marian can reclaim the animals. A bill that will ban ownership of most exotic animals beginning in 2014 and require current owners to implant their pets with microchips is pending in the Ohio legislature. 聽
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