LEXINGTON, Ky (LEX 18) — A rare animal reportedly stolen from Most Valuable Pets in Lexington over the weekend was found Tuesday in Georgetown.
A couple pulled up in car and a woman set a terrarium outside the shelter before trying to dump the skink, according to Scott County Animal Shelter Director Sherry Bishop.
Animal control officers ran to get the license plate. Officers warned that you can't abandon the animal without paperwork.
Officers didn't realize it was the stolen skink until they saw a note that said "Please return to pet store in Lexington, Beaumont Shopping Center."
Lexington Police say two people were cited for TBUT shoplifting and the animal, named Petey, was on sale for $800 at the pet store.
On Tuesday, Petey was returned to the store and placed in a new tank with plenty of new plants and a big "welcome home" salad waiting.
"He's nice and fat and doesn't seem to have any signs that he was abused in any way so that's always good because you never know," store manager Hannah Huffman said about Petey. "You just really never know with people."
The female suspect was let go and given a court date, but the man was arrested in Scott County on an unrelated shoplifting warrant.
Videos and photos from Most Valuable Pets show the suspects taking the Monkey Tail Skink from the store. The skink is one of the country's few captive-bred Monkey Tail Skinks.
