Lemus, coatis, an owl and other animals that can be kept only with a license were found in 'deplorable' conditions, living in small cages.
Detroit Zoo has taken in the assortment of exotic animals which are said to be [relatively] healthy despite how they were being kept.
The unexpected discovery was made after neighbors reported seeing a coati - a South American animal similar to the raccoon - roaming around on lawns.
'We responded thinking that the odds ... were pretty slim, but they turned out to be credible,' Deputy Police Commissioner Louis Galasso told Detroit News.
The owner of the animals, who has not been identified, was at work when police called to say they had found his coati.
He told police that he didn't realize he needed an exotic pet license to keep the animals, and that he had been due to clean their enclosures on the day the coati escaped.
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| This Fennec Fox is being kept in a rodent cage. |
Police removed his animals, which included two white-nosed coatis, two ring-tailed lemurs, three fennec foxes and a screech owl.
The creatures are currently in quarantine at Detroit Zoo, which has stepped in before to take over the care of exotic animals.
Elizabeth Arbaugh, curator of mammals at the zoo, said they appeared to be in good health but the 'conditions these animals were being kept in were deplorable'.
Zoo director Ron Kagan said: 'Privately owned exotic animals kept as 'pets' often end up in compromised conditions and in need of rescue.'
He added that the zoo has worked with Michigan Humane Society to try to get legislation passed to bar such animals being kept.
Police said they plan to seek charges against the animals' owner for allegedly having dangerous and wild animals, and for animal cruelty.
Each charge has a 90-day prison sentence or $500 fine.
A fund has been set up by the zoo to help pay for the animals' care.
(Daily mail - July 10, 2014)
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