Look: African serval captured after days on the loose in Illinois

An African serval on the loose for multiple days in Illinois has been safely captured. Grundy County Animal Control said the wild cat, roughly as large as a medium-size dog, was spotted wandering the Gardner area. Officers, the owner, and a helpful resident nabbed the exotic pet Monday, and it will soon be home. Look: African serval captured after days of sightings, UPI reported on Aug. 18, 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Grundy County Animal Control said an African serval loose for multiple days was safely captured.
• The wild cat, about as large as a medium-size dog, was spotted multiple times in the Gardner area.
• The owner worked with officers to locate and capture the exotic pet on Monday.
• Officials thanked residents who reported sightings and said the serval will soon be home with its family.

Where was the African serval wandering in Illinois?

Animal control officials in Illinois' Grundy County said the African serval was on the loose in the Gardner area. The wild cat was spotted multiple times while it wandered there.

Grundy County Animal Control described the animal as a wild cat roughly as large as a medium-size dog. Officials also called it an exotic pet whose owner helped bring the search to an end.

UPI reported the capture on Aug. 18, 2026, after the cat had been loose for multiple days. Public sightings in Gardner were the reports officials later thanked.

How did officers capture the serval?

The cat's owner worked together with animal control officers to locate and capture the serval. Officials said a very helpful resident also assisted.

The exotic pet was finally nabbed on Monday. Until that point, the serval had been on the loose for multiple days.

After the capture, the department thanked everyone who reported a sighting. Those reports, the owner's help, and the resident's assistance are the details officials put on the record.

No further capture method was described. What the county confirmed is the outcome: the serval roaming Gardner was caught, and the capture was described as safe.

What did animal control say after the cat was caught?

"The serval that has been roaming the Gardner area has been caught," officials wrote on social media.

"Our officers were assisted by the owner, and a very helpful resident. Thank you again to everyone that reported a sighting!! This handsome fella will be home safe and sound with his family very soon!"

That social media update closed the public search. Officers said the cat had been caught, credited the owner and a resident, and said the serval would be home safe and sound with its family very soon.

For more odd-animal headlines, see our Bizarre News & Florida Man coverage. The Grundy County report is now a completed capture story, not an active loose-cat alert.

Is the African serval going back home?

Yes, according to the officials who announced the capture. They said the handsome fella will be home safe and sound with his family very soon.

That promise followed a multi-day stretch when the exotic pet was still at large. The owner who helped locate the cat is the family animal control said would soon have him back.

Look: African serval captured, and Grundy County says the Gardner wanderer is no longer on the loose. The remaining public note is simple: the cat is safe, and home is next.