LITH lemur owner won't contest law that bans his pet

A Lake in the Hills man ordered to get rid of Ringo, his pet lemur, has decided not to fight the law that's separating him from his pet.

"It's going to cost me too much, and on top of that, all I'm going to end up in the end is either keeping Ringo and (ticking) off the village, or losing Ringo, losing all my money and still (ticking) off the village," Troy Evert said. "So in the long run, I'm still kind of losing out."

Evert has decided his best option is finding a new home for Ringo, the 6-year-old, 2-foot tall, 5-pound primate he calls his best friend.

He is deciding between Corbin's Exotic Pets in Marengo, Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary in Rockford and a similar facility in downstate Tomlinson.

The Ringo saga began in May, days after Evert, 31, moved to Lake in the Hills with his pregnant girlfriend and the three children they're raising together.

A neighbor saw him carrying Ringo into the house on his shoulders and called police.

Evert asked the village for special permission to keep the ringtail lemur. But by a 4-3 vote last month, village trustees decided against making an exception to an ordinance banning "any naturally wild animal, except birds or fish, whether or not bred for domestic purposes."

Trustees gave Evert 90 days - which are up in late September - to find Ringo a new place to live.

Evert said his financial situation prevented him from moving to a town that's more lemur friendly. But he is not ruling out finding a temporary home for Ringo, leaving the village once his lease expires next May then reuniting with his pet of four years.

In the meantime, the family is lavishing Ringo with extra attention until the day comes when they must part.

And Ringo appears to have picked up on the shift.

"He seems a little uneasy," Evert said. "He's not as relaxed as he usually is because it's not the same."