The animals can't be released, sold or given to a private party, zoos do not have interest in mutations nearly without exception and the fact that there is still the possiblity of the government prosecuting people over seized animals means that they need to be kept as evidence. Usually the animals are kept by fish and wildlife in a quarantined area where they are maintained until needed. Sometimes the animals are kept behind the scenes at a zoo for maintenance but the government has to maintain control of the animals until any court proceedings are finished. In regards to these specific animals, the federal government has been threatening for about a year now but still has yet to charge the 2 breeders the seized the animals from. Sometimes they destroy animals that have been seized if they know they are not going to prosecute as the owner of the animal really has no recourse.
To the person that made the statement about this being a free country and that we should do something about this, welcome to the post 9-11 Republican administration. Regardless of your politics, if you like freedoms of any kind and if you believe in the history and reasons for the foundation of this nation, this climate of chiseling away our rights should make you angry. We are much less of a free society today than we have been in a very very long time. So go do something about it if it bothers you. I hope it bothers you. Evan Stahl
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