Baltimore residents stunned to learn the two ‘terrifying’ exotic cats on the loose were a former NFL star’s ‘comfort pets’
Baltimore residents were shocked on a snowy Friday morning, December 5, 2025, when two exotic cats appeared roaming the streets of Reservoir Hill. At first, people thought the animals might have escaped from the nearby Maryland Zoo, but it quickly became clear they were not ordinary pets. The large, spotted cats moved with long, slender legs and an unafraid gait, startling neighbors. The situation became even more surprising when it was revealed that the exotic cats belonged to a former NFL star, raising questions about how such wild animals ended up in a city neighborhood.
As reported by The Baltimore Banner on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, the two cats were African servals named Tazz and Meek, owned by Brandon Haw, a former professional football player who now struggles with memory loss and personality changes linked to neurological issues. On his walk that morning, Zach Cusson, a local resident, spotted one of the servals approaching his dog, Freddie. Cusson recalled, “I see, all of a sudden, at my feet, what looked like a leopard spot. I don’t know what this thing’s claws were looking like. I didn’t want to take any chances.” Servals are tall, slender, and capable of leaping high into the air, making them far from typical house pets. Haw’s attorney, Gregg Bernstein, said, “Mr. Haw has owned two sibling African serval cats for several years and cares deeply about them… they have provided great comfort to him as he struggles with his disability.”
The Baltimore City Health Department confirmed that animal enforcement officers responded quickly and removed the "terrifying" exotic cat safely from the 2400 block of Eutaw Place. Animal control officers captured one serval later that day without incident, placing it in quarantine at the Maryland Zoo. George Epple, a local resident who recorded the capture, said, “I see a truck pull up and it’s like, well, that’s unusual. I get up and walk out on the back deck with snow, and I see the cat. It's very unusual to see something that looks like that,” as per WBALTV. Haw voluntarily moved the second cat to a sanctuary in Alabama after learning he was violating Maryland law. Tammy Thies, founder of the Wildcat Sanctuary in Minnesota, said, “Social media has really fueled the breeding, buying, and selling… and makes this look trendy, exotic.” She also added, “Most people understand a tiger shouldn’t be a pet, but then they take a 30- or 40-pound wildcat and think, why not?”
Neighbors called 311 to report the cats, and videos of the capture quickly circulated online, showing the dangers of keeping wild animals at home. This explained the servals were likely only one or two generations removed from their wild ancestors, emphasizing, “Even though this is a small wildcat, and not as dangerous to the public as a tiger, it's not fair to try and keep a wild animal as a pet.” How the cats escaped remains unknown, as Haw declined to comment and his attorney offered only a short statement. The incident highlighted the challenges of exotic pet ownership, as these animals require specialized diets, space, and care, as per Revelation Pets. For Baltimore’s Reservoir Hill, the sight showed that exotic pets, however comforting, don’t belong in city streets.