Escape of the Fluffy!

A rare Romanian Leopard was reported dangerous and missing from the Durham Zoo this morning when visitors arrived at 9:30.
      She's the only female of her kind in existence. And no one knows how she got out.
      Kitty Smith, the zoo's chief zoologist, said in a press conference that Fluffy is well-loved in the confines of the zoo, but is "extremely dangerous."
     "Fluffy is a wonderful, warm, gentle cat who has never hurt anyone," Smith said. "But if these cats are cornered -- or encountered on a dark night or in a dark alley - their defense is to kill, and to kill quickly."
    Gerry Durrell, zoo director, said his feeding team noticed Fluffy's absence immediately.
    "When we opened the zoo at 9:30 this morning and began feeding the animals, we immediatedly noticed Fluffy was missing," Durrell said. "Everything about her cage seemed normal."
    Durrell said Fluffy was last seen in her cage at 9 P.M. Sunday night when the zoo closed.
    James Petronkis had a different take on how the events unfolded. He said he was the first to notice Fluffy wasn't in her cage.
    "Everything seemed normal, until I got to the cage," Petronkis said. "Then I knew something was wrong right away. Fluffy usually draws the straw up into a nest when she sleeps, but there was no nest."
    When Petronkis went to tell guards his observations, he said they ignored him. Half an hour later, Petronkis pulled a fire alarm to get their attention.
    "This time they checked the cage and all hell broke loose," Petronkis said. "Police cars came from every direction and within minutes they were roughly pushing visitors to the exists."
    The priceless animal could be wandering anywhere. Smith told reporters that Fluffy is a 10-year-old Romanian spotted leopard that has been at the zoo for five years. Fluffy weighs 146 pounds, can run 60 miles an hour, and has a carnivorous diet. She eats three chickens everyday.
    Smith teared up. She said the zoo misses Fluffy and they want her back.
    Though Fluffy's cage is alarmed, no alarm sounded during the night.
    Search efforts are now underway. After rushing to get visitors out of the zoo, zoo workers are searching the grounds for the black leopard with white spots. The immediacy is to find Fluffy before 2 P.M. -- before children get out of school.
   Police Chief William Blair outlined the search for Fluffy. If possible, he said, they would shoot Fluffy with a tranquilizer. If necessary, Fluffy will be shot to death.
    Blair said that if they do not find Fluffy during the day, it is going to be a very messy night.
    "These cats are nearly impossible to find in the dark - they can see everything, and we are blind," Blair said. "We have asked the New Hampshire State Police and the state Wildlife Department to help in the search. In addition, the National Guard will be supplying five helicopters with infrared sensors."
    Blair said that they are going to find the cat if it kills them.