By Izunna Okafor, Awka
It was a heartrending incident in Lakewood, Colorado, as a 34-year-old man, Christopher Ward lost his life after being bitten by his pet lizard (Gila monster), named Winston.
The deceased was said to have fought for his dear life for days on a ventilator before eventually succumbing to the venomous bite of the lizard.
Although the details surrounding Christopher’s tragic end are still being examined by officials in Jefferson County, it was gathered that the girlfriend of the deceased, when she opened the door to his room after several ignored knocks, discovered the lizard clamped onto his hand, leading to a series of severe symptoms, including vomiting and unconsciousness.
In the aftermath of the devastating event, Christopher’s girlfriend reportedly handed over his boyfriend’s two pet lizards (named Winston and Potato) over to Lakewood Animal Control. Additionally, she also angrily relocated more than two dozen spiders of various species his boyfriend was keeping in his home as pets.
Investigations revealed that owning the Gila monsters lizard was against the law in Lakewood. The lizard was acquired from a reptile exhibition in Denver in October, while the other one (named Potato) came from a breeder in Arizona in November. After Christopher’s tragic death, the two lizards were sent to Reptile Gardens in South Dakota by the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, while the spiders found new homes in an animal shelter.
According to research, although that specie of lizard known as Gila monsters, are typically not deadly, they possess venom that can cause significant harm.
As at the time of filing this report, investigations are still ongoing to uncover the exact circumstances surrounding Christopher’s untimely demise in the hands of his exotic lizard, even as his girlfriend continues to mourn and battle the emotions occasioned by the unfortunate incident.
