Scorpion at home at last

Dec 14 2007 Katy Gordon

THE scorpion accidentally sent to an Alyth mother-of-four has finally been reuinited with its proper owner.

Karen Livingston and her family were stunned to find the deadly creature in a package (complete with heat pad to keep it warm) sent to their house by mistake.

After contacting the police, the SSPCA and the Perthshire Advertiser, Karen appealed to anyone interested in taking home the four-inch, baby, emperor scorpion.

But by the time the owner got in contact with Tayside Police officials in Blairgowrie, the scorpion had been taken to the SSPCA’s animal welfare centre in Lothian, which has special facilities to deal with exotic animals, before it made the move to the zoo in the country’s capital.

Said Karen: “I gave it to the SSPCA officer, who arrived at about 10pm, and he looked like he really didn’t want to take it. At that point, I was told it was going to Edinburgh Zoo and I didn’t hear any more about it.”

Karen said: “It was supposed to go to a girl living across the road, but the postman didn’t know it was meant for there. “I’m glad it reached the person it was meant for.”