Overview

• On July 18 a 5-foot-long water monitor lizard slipped through a second-floor window of a Webster home during a house-sitting visit.
• Webster Police and Animal Control used drones to scan nearby pools and wooded areas before suspending active efforts late Friday.
• The reptile was acquired from New Hampshire about three weeks ago without the required Massachusetts permit.
• Animal Control notes water monitors are non-aggressive toward humans and pets but can climb trees, seek water, and may defend themselves if cornered.
• Residents are instructed not to approach the lizard and to contact Webster Police or Animal Control immediately if they spot it.