A pet leopard belonging to Todd Dalton (pictured) broke loose from its cage and spent a week hunting a Cornish farmer’s sheep before being caught in a fox trap
A pet leopard broke loose from its cage and spent a week hunting a Cornish farmer’s sheep before being caught in a fox trap.
The beast, a clouded leopard, belongs to Todd Dalton – who was dubbed the ‘Leopard Man of Peckham’ in 2006 after he applied for a license to keep meat-eating animals in his South London back garden.
Officers said the big cat escaped from an enclosure at Great Treverran, Cornwall, and that the owner had been frantically trying to track down the beast for a week.
A farmer laid fox traps after some of his sheep were killed and was astonished to find a clouded leopard – usually seen in the Himalayan foothills – trapped inside.
It escaped on Boxing Day from the private property, thought to belong to Dalton, and was found on a farm a mile away in Milltown on December 31, a farmer said.
Dalton applied to keep a clouded leopard and a baby leopard in a cage as part of a breeding programme to protect the species.
His application under the Dangerous and Wild Animals Act also requested permission to keep other wild cats, including an ocelot and a margay, according to Southwark Council.
Dalton was approached for comment but denied owning a private zoo, refused to admit that the leopard belonged to him, and refused to comment on the story.
He said: ‘I’m not willing to discuss the matter.’
Neighbours said they saw two clouded leopards – a male and a female – in cages at the property in April last year, before a larger enclosure was built.
Joy Green, 70, said the animals were about the size of a female Labrador and described them as ‘quite benign’ and ‘gorgeous’.
She said Mr Dalton was a ‘nice chap’ who was hoping to breed the pair because they were endangered.
Todd Dalton was dubbed the ‘Leopard Man of Peckham’ in 2006 after he applied for a license to keep meat-eating animals in his South London back garden.
The leopard escaped on Boxing Day from the private enclosure (pictured) and was found on a farm a mile away in Milltown on December 31
The retired customer service representative, said: ‘They were gorgeous creatures. I went round and I was introduced to a man I have since been told was Todd Dalton.
‘I saw two clouded leopards, a male and a female, in separate cages. They had been transported in these enormous cages.
‘I saw these flamingos walking about too.’
But one neighbour, who did not want to be named, was aghast at the idea a meat-eating cat being kept so close to their home.
They said: ‘I’ve got three children that were playing outside on Boxing Day and if I had known I would have kept them inside.
Dalton applied to keep a clouded leopard and a baby leopard in a cage as part of a breeding programme to protect the species
‘No one was hurt, but if the leopard had come in our direction it could have been a different situation.
‘Now I am scared for my children and don’t feel safe with my back door open.
‘Our issue is with Cornwall Council, we want them to revoke his license. You can’t allow someone who let an animal escape keep dangerous animals, no matter what they say.’
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed a clouded leopard had escaped after its enclosure was damaged by wet weather, and said they had reports of dead sheep.
Locals claim the animal broke loose on December 26 after mud around the enclosure was washed away.
Cornwall Council said the owner had an appropriate dangerous wild animal license.
Dalton was approached for comment but denied owning a private zoo, refused to admit that the leopard belonged to him, and refused to comment on the story. Pictured: A clouded leopard in captivity (stock image)
There are thought to be less than 10,000 mature clouded leopards in the world (stock image)
But Peter Howard, 71, a public garden manager who lives around 50 yards from the leopard enclosure, called on the council to take action.
He said: ‘My understanding is the leopard had been sleeping in a barn a mile away and was found a week later.
‘In the mean time it had carried out attacks on sheep. The license should be revoked. The enclosures have proven to be unsafe.
‘Surely the enclosure must be designed to withstand the weather. If a clouded leopard got frightened by a child they could attack.’
A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: ‘Police were informed by the owner of a clouded leopard that his animal had escaped its inner compound on Boxing Day in Fowey.
‘The leopard was still in its outer compound and efforts were being made by the owner to re-capture the animal.
‘Officers were then informed by a local farmer that the leopard had broken out of its compound and had allegedly attacked some of his sheep.
‘The animal was re-captured.’
A spokeswoman for Cornwall Council added: ‘The incident occurred due to an unforeseeable severe weather event causing a flood in an area not known to be subject to flooding.
‘The owner has taken appropriate measures to prevent possible future flooding events from affecting the security of the site.’
The clouded leopard is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
There are thought to be less than 10,000 mature clouded leopards in the world.
They can weigh up to 23kg and grow up to 108 cm long, from nose to tail.