Local News

Bruno, the rare African serval found in Lincoln, is on the move

First, his injured hind leg will be amputated.

Bruno, at the MSPCA-Angell facility. MSPCA-Angell

By Gwen Egan

1 minute to read

In the aftermath of a unique Tuesday morning last week, staff at MSPCA-Angell are set to give treatment to an African serval they’ve named Bruno before sending him to a proper home.

Bruno, who was found meandering in a Lincoln neighborhood, was picked up by MSPCA and taken to their Jamaica Plain headquarters to be evaluated, according to a statement. He is around 1, NBC10 Boston reports.

After being treated, Bruno will be receiving a change of scenery — and perhaps a new set of serval friends to roam his new surroundings with. This move will be taking him to The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minnesota; the sanctuary already houses a brood of 15 servals to keep Bruno company.

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“Not only will Bruno live out his live at a sanctuary that offers him a natural and safe habitat with heated, indoor buildings, but is going to a place that shares the MSPCA’s values: that wild animals do not exist for our entertainment,” Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy for the MSPCA, said in a statement.

The MSPCA said the sanctuary does not “buy, breed, sell or exhibit” the animals they house.

Alyssa Krieger, the community outreach manager at MSPCA Boston, told NBC10 Boston that Bruno may have been kept in order to breed a type of cat that is illegal in Massachusetts, called a Savannah.

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However, Bruno can’t go anywhere until his broken hind leg is treated. After Bruno’s initial evaluation, MSPCA-Angell’s team concluded that his right back leg was broken in two different spots.

The MSPCA said Bruno will be undergoing surgery to amputate this damaged limb as soon as Wednesday. To ensure his health, Bruno’s whole body will be scanned to check for a common bone disease often found in his species.

“Servals can do very well on three legs and the MSPCA’s adoption center veterinary team, in consultation with the team at Wildcat Sanctuary, is confident this outcome will provide Bruno the best opportunity for a pain-free life after surgery,” Rob Halpin, an MSPCA spokesman, said in an email.

Anyone who wishes to contribute to Bruno’s expected $5,000 in medical bills can at mspca.org/Bruno.

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