Massachusetts Monitor Lizard Goose Captured, Sent to Sanctuary

Goose, a 4- to 5-foot-long water monitor lizard, escaped from a home in Webster, Massachusetts, and was found after a two-week search in a wooded area near the Connecticut border. Officials captured Goose by luring him out with food, noting he was hungry but appeared to be in good health. The lizard was illegally owned without the required permits, and the former owner now faces charges for possession and importation violations. Goose has been placed in quarantine at R’s Oasis, a nonprofit animal sanctuary, where a permanent habitat is being constructed. A veterinarian checkup is scheduled to ensure his health before he begins his new life at the sanctuary. Authorities emphasized the importance of animal welfare and the need for appropriate permits to own such exotic animals.