Gilligan

Male Canada lynx

Appx. 1/1/07

Rescued 5/5/13

Gilligan’s age is unknown. He was purchased along with Skipper at an auction.

Gilligan had the tiniest cage measuring 5′ x 7′. It was also the dirtiest of all of the cages. The mud floor was not mud, but feces covered with a sprinkling of straw. It appeared as though Gilligan had tried to keep much of his waste confined to one area on top of his plastic dog house. He had perched atop the house day after day to defecate. The large pile of feces cascaded out of the side of his cage. It was clear that his cage had not been cleaned in several months.

Strewn about the cage were bits of meat, bones and fur. The dog house was too small for Gilligan to fit in and other than a small child’s play picnic table he had nowhere to escape the weather. He was forced to sleep in the open and surrounded by filth.

Because Gilligan’s cage was so small there was not enough room for Big Cat Rescuers to enter it with nets and a crate. So using wire that they had brought, they constructed a secondary enclosure to the door of his and inside placed the crate filled with soft dry hay. Gilligan was unsure about this new crate and despite its appeal of warmth and dryness he refused to enter it. He was left to contemplate entering the crate on his own while Big Cat Rescuers moved on to try and catch Skipper.

After Skipper was captured and carried to the Big Cat Rescue trailer, Gilligan had still refused to enter the crate. With no other options he was sedated with a blow dart. He quickly fell asleep and Dr. Justin did a full exam. After the exam he was gently placed in the crate and given the reversal agent for the tranquilizer.

When he awoke he was in a soft bed of hay being loaded into the trailer for his long trip back to Tampa.

Gilligan seems absolutely blissful in his new enclosure. In his first days he constantly sniffed all around soaking in the fresh air. He was also quite amazed with the wildlife that abounds at the sanctuary from cardinals, to lizards, to squirrels, he is very observant and intently watches as they flit and scurry about.

Sponsor Gilligan http://bigcatrescue.org/donate/

Read more about the rescue and see photos and videos http://bigcatrescue.org/most-daring-rescue-ever/

See More About Gilligan:

Gilligan watches Skipper the Canada Lynx get caught and taken to the vet in this Wildcat Walkabout Video on May 1, 2014 – http://bigcatrescue.org/now-big-cat-rescue-may-2-2014/

Gilligan Moves to an A/C Den

Ginger

Female serval

Appx. DOB 1/1/2009

Rescued on  5/5/2013

Ginger is approximately four years old and was bottle raised from a kitten. She did not have a name, so in keeping with the Gilligan’s Island theme she was named Ginger. Ginger was kept in a cage about 9′ x 12′. On one side of her two cougars were housed and on the other was an empty cage about half the size of hers.

That empty cage housed another serval who died a few months before the rescue. Sadly the serval had become wedged in between the door panels and died. It is unknown how the serval died. The dead serval was left in the cage for weeks before it was removed and dumped in an open pit just a few feet from the cage.

Ginger was the first cat at the Kansas property to be captured. She was netted by Big Cat Rescuers so volunteer veterinarian Dr. Justin and the Kansas City Zoo veterinarian could examine her. Despite living next door to two large intimidating cats, witnessing the death of her serval neighbor, and living in complete filth, Ginger was surprisingly calm during her capture and exam, and quickly adapted to her new found comforts at Big Cat Rescue.

Above photos are all taken at Big Cat Rescue

Sponsor Ginger http://www.bigcatrescue.biz/servlet/the-1166/Serval-Sponsorship/Detail

Read more about the rescue and see photos and videos here:  http://bigcatrescue.org/most-daring-rescue-ever/

Jennifer Answers Ginger’s Cat Call

Find out more about volunteering.

Big Cat Rescue Honored as 2014 Top-Rated NonProfit

by GreatNonprofits.org Award is based on Positive Online Reviews

Keisha Tiger on her first “Vacation” in the Vacation Rotation enclosure

Thanks to YOU!

Last month, after some animal exploiters posted some fake reviews to try and bring our scores down, we asked you to post reviews about Big Cat Rescue if you had been here to several sites and today it was announced that we won the prestigious 2014 Top-Rated Award by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews about nonprofit organizations.  Way to go, you guys!

The Top-Rated Nonprofit award was based on the large number of positive reviews that Big Cat Rescue received – reviews written by volunteers, donors and clients. People posted their personal experience with BCR. For example, one person wrote, “Big Cat Rescue is the most wonderful place you can ever visit! I was there last year and GOSH, the animals and their enclosures are gorgeous! The tour guide was friendly and knew her thing. The animals were playful and happy and anyone who says otherwise has not been there! I recommend BCR for anyone who loves, or even LIKES animals.”

While the Top-Rated Awards run through the end of October, Big Cat Rescue was one of the first groups to qualify for the 2014. In addition, we’ll be added to Great Nonprofits #GivingTuesday Guide—an interactive guide to top nonprofits throughout the years. Look for this near the holidays.

“Savvy donors want to see the impact of their donations more than ever,” said Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits, “People with direct experience with Big Cat Rescue have voted that the organization is making a real difference.”

Being on the Top-Rated list gives donors and volunteers more confidence that this is a credible organization. The reviews by volunteers, clients and other donors show the on-the-ground results of this nonprofit. This award is a form of recognition by the community.

Sad Goodbye to Shere Khan the Tiger

Shere Khan and China Doll were the first tigers to reign over Big Cat Rescue.  We had been keeping a watchful eye over Shere Khan since the first of the year as old age began taking its toll on him, but were shocked and saddened when his mate of 19 years, China Doll, had a sudden stroke and had to be euthanized in April.

Shere Khan always tried to please, and dutifully took his meds (after much coaxing every day) and ate, but would eat just enough to survive.  It was clear that he pined for his life long cage mate and we did all we could to keep him company, but his health declined rapidly and by August we knew that it would only be humane to let him pass peacefully.  It is still hard to write this, because I just can’t imagine the sanctuary without these two wonderful tigers.

T.I.G.E.R.S. Exposed

This is the best article I’ve seen exposing what really happens when you pay to play with baby wild animals.  I believe that two of the worst exploiters of big cats and their cubs are T.I.G.E.R.S. and GW Zoo due to the vast number of cubs that must be produced each year to satisfy the demand they create for pay to play sessions with baby lion, tiger and liger cubs.  This article has great photos and even better reporting:

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/exposed-t-i-g-e-r-s-a-tourist-attraction-above-wildlife-conservation/

Some New Videos Since Last AdvoCat

We have a new Media Producer, T.O. Lawrence, and he has some new ideas.  We will continue to post one great video a week at BigCatTV.com but every day or every other day will be short, updates on the cats you know and love.  To never miss a video, be sure to subscribe at BigCatTV.com

Kali the Tiger’s Rescue

Aspen Cougar Celebrates 500K Facebook Followers

Kali Tiger Update

Mickey the Cougar Gets Rescued

Help Us Build the Windsong Memorial Hospital

Update on Mickey the Cougar

Mickey’s surgery was successful and he has spent the last few weeks recovering very well.  An artificial ligament was installed in his left rear knee to help stabilize the joint. He still only has access to one half of his enclosure.  Dr. Hay will come out to visit Mickey in the coming week to see how he is progressing.  In the meantime we have started physical therapy sessions with him which include slow walking laps around his enclosure to encourage proper utilization of his repaired joint.  If everything goes well over the next few months he will have the same procedure performed on his other knee.

Rock to the Rescue Gives $10,000 Grant

Big Cat Rescue was truly delighted to learn that the sanctuary has been selected as recipient of a $10,000 Rock to the Rescue grant.

Rock to the Rescue is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by classic rock band Styx, whose mission is to build strong communities through the support of grassroots organizations across the country. Rock to the Rescue has a special interest in supporting sanctuaries that provide humane and non exploitative care to wildlife.

Ms. Hannah Shaw, Director of Rock to the Rescue notified Jeff Kremer, the sanctuary’s Director of Donor Appreciation that Rock to the Rescue’s band and board had voted to award Big Cat Rescue a $10,000 gift to help fund construction of the sanctuary’s new “Small Cat Vacation Rotation” habitat!

“Rock to the Rescue is impressed with the sanctuary’s education and advocacy efforts on behalf of wild cats, and could not be happier to support this important mission” said Ms. Shaw.

Styx’s Rock to the Rescue has provided over $2 million in support of grassroots animal organizations, music education programs, and disaster relief efforts. The nonprofit is an important component of the band’s national tours, with fundraisers supporting the local community in every city the band performs.

For more information, visit: http://rocktotherescue.net and be sure to “Like” them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockToTheRescue

Petition to Rebut False Claims

Whenever someone does something nice for Big Cat Rescue, the animal abusers come out attacking them and often set up hateful petitions to either try and discredit us or to bully the donor into hiding their support for our cause.  Change.org seems to be one of their favorite places to create these hate campaigns, so we set up a quick and easy petition that we will be able to show donors, when the bad guys strike.

Would you take a moment to add your name as a supporter of big cat rescue to our Change.org petition so that we can show that there are far more people who love animals and Big Cat Rescue than those who seek to harm?  https://www.change.org/p/supporters-help-stop-big-cat-abuse

Big Cat Bingo

A huge thanks to the supporters, volunteers and interns who helped make our latest bingo night at Hamburger Mary’s in Clearwater and in Tampa both roaring successes.

Stop Tiger Abuse at Georgia State Fair

The Georgia State Fair is planning to host a tiger exhibit by All Things Wild on September 26, even after being informed that handler Marcus Cook has been charged with almost 100 VIOLATIONS of the federal Animal Welfare Act.

Some of his violations include using a cattle prod on a tiger during an exhibition, keeping five tiger cubs in a trailer and allowing urine to saturate the subflooring, and keeping tigers in metal enclosures in 100-degree heat!

Take action here:  Sign PeTA Petition

Amazon Smile Shout Out!

A huge shout out to everyone who has donated items from our Amazon wishlist and who has chosen Big Cat Rescue as their charity of choice in  https://smile.amazon.com/  We just got a check for close to $900.00 thanks to people like you choosing us when they shop at Amazon.  It costs you nothing more and is an easy way to donate to the cats.

Please note that when you donate through Amazon we don’t get your name or address to send a thank you note, but please know that your help is GRRrrrreatly appreciated!

Thank you for taking the time to catch up with us.  Please share this September AdvoCat newsletter with your friends and family on all of your social sites.

How to build a strong brand on Facebook

“Organic reach of the content brands publish in Facebook is destined to hit zero. It’s only a matter of time.” says Social@Ogilvy writer on March 6, 2014.

Non profits, like Big Cat Rescue, are “brands” so that didn’t bode well for us.

Social@Ogilvy went on to say, “100 brand pages, organic reach hovered at 6 percent, a decline of 49 percent from peak levels in October. For large pages with more than 500,000 Likes, organic reach hit 2 percent in February. And Facebook sources were unofficially advising community managers to expect it to approach zero in the foreseeable future. ”

When in the face of danger, I’m always reminded to do what I do best.  Default straight to your greatest strength to over come the crisis before you.  In the case of social marketing, our greatest strengths are that our photographs and videos of our cats are beautiful and inspiring and our staff and volunteers are engaging.

If Big Cat Rescue was going to survive the downward trending Facebook algorithms for brands we had to ramp up our engagement and make sure that every post was worthy of our audience.

This chart shows how Big Cat Rescue stacks up against 3 of the most popular brands in 2014; Apple, Coke and Microsoft and in our industry of animal rescue and advocacy.

Note that even though Big Cat Rescue has fewer fans than most of these sites, our engagement is matched only by Wildcat Sanctuary, who has more than twice our number of fans.

The first thing we needed to know is “Who are our fans?” and “What do they seem to like?” and give them more of that.

One of the key reasons for building a strong brand is support for your business or cause.  In our case, advocacy is a big part of what we do, so it’s important to note that many of our fans are not from the U.S. and won’t be able to help with legislative issues that are keyed to U.S. zip codes.  We need to always keep in mind ways that they can help too.

By paying attention to who our fans are and giving them the content they love; lots of beautiful photos and videos of lions, tigers and other exotic cats, we continue to build our Likes, Comments and Shares, even during these difficult times for brands, as illustrated by this year to date graph.  It is clear to see that Facebook implemented an algorithmic change that affected us in a good way beginning in April of 2014.

Comparing last year’s statistics with this year’s you can see that our Total Reach averaged 53,810 in 2013 and is averaging 226,063 in 2014.

Comparing last year’s statistics with this year’s you can see that our individual Post Reach averaged 42,451 in 2013 and is averaging 215,181 in 2014.

Comparing last year’s statistics with this year’s you can see that our individual Shares averaged 508 in 2013 and is averaging 2,852 in 2014.

Comparing last year’s statistics with this year’s you can see that our individual Likes averaged 7,191 in 2013 and is averaging 27,136 in 2014.

How do we know that our continued growth is reliant on engaging with our audience?

During this period of time our primary Comment Responder, LaWanna Mitchell, was off for 3 days and the numbers immediately began to drop.  Our New Page Likes had been growing by 8.2 % and dropped to 5.2 % as soon as this person was away from the helm for a few days.  For the months of August and early September we were in between Media Producers, and that lack of great content during that period hurt our numbers during that time frame as well.

The good news is that our new Media Producer, T.O. Lawrence, is coming up to speed and he and our primary Comment Responder, LaWanna Mitchell are working together to streamline our posts, using scheduled posts, Buffer and IfTTT.com.  Getting some of that automated will free up their time to Like our fans comments and respond to them in real time, which is critical in building a brand.

Our statistics on YouTube.com look very similar and for all the same reasons.

People ask for our “secret formula” all the time when it comes to social marketing and there is no trick or gimmick to it.  Building up a strong relationship takes time, requires listening and then demands that we respond to our fans in a timely manner.  We are a small non profit, with 14 paid staff and 80-100 volunteers and interns.  Our annual budget is 2 million dollars a year to care for about 100 lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, bobcats and other wild cats.  We are able to raise these funds and give the best care possible because our fans love and trust us, because they can see how their donations are being spent.

Toyota Tundra we won via Facebook voting contest

Building a fanatical fan base is a lot of work, but it means the difference of life and death to big cats who are depending on them.

In Case You Are Wondering What the Fuss Was About

Last Friday (Oct 3, 2014) the Florida Wildlife Commission inspectors came out, based on a complaint filed by Vernon Yates and Kathy Stearns, of Dade City Wild Things.  The officers told us that the rules say you can’t have leopards in an open top cage unless you get a prior, written, approval by the FWC.

This was news to us, because in the past it was OK to have leopards in open top cages and back when we first built the sanctuary, a lot of our leopard cages were built that way and passed inspection every year.  Attached at the bottom is the actual rule, so you can see how confusing it is, but I have highlighted the sentence in yellow so you can find it at all.

The one sentence about leopards and open top cages was buried in a section about cougars.  The FWC inspectors said they thought the cage was safe for leopards, but that they couldn’t make the decision, so they told me to contact Tallahassee for the request.  I did so within the hour.

Since we were obviously not aware of the rule and there was no imminent danger, they issued a warning, instead of a citation.  The warning gave us 5 days to remedy the situation.  All that meant was that leopards can’t go on vacation, until we hear differently from the FWC.

Yates and Stearns, apparently gleeful to have at least secured a copy of the warning letter, immediately sent out the following press release to all of the local news outlets, and included three photos that I took of the day the leopard went on vacation and lied, saying they had an undercover spy inside BCR who gave them the photos:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BIG CAT RESCUE ENDANGERS THE PUBLIC

Big Cat Rescue local Sanctuary was issued a warning by Fla Fish & Wildlife Commission for unsafe caging.  Per Carol Baskin’s own claims “Dangerous Leopard” that could of escaped and BCR put the public at risk.

On Friday October 3, 2014 the Florida Wildlife Commission issued a citation to Carol Baskins and her roadside zoo Big Cat Rescue for illegal housing of a leopard, (citation # W716942). The citation was issued after receiving a complaint from Vernon Yates, complaint #13437. Mr. Yates, who runs a shelter for exotic cats in Seminole Florida, was sent pictures by an informant who works at Big Cat Rescue. The pictures showed Ms. Baskin releasing the leopard into a non-covered enclosure, and he forwarded them to the Florida Wildlife Commission for investigation. Florida law prohibits the keeping of cats like leopards and jaguars in non-covered enclosures and it does so for good reason; leopards are excellent climbers and thus present a real and immediate risk of escape if housed in an enclosure that is not completely covered. Without a top to the cage the leopard can simply climb out.

It is shocking that Carole Baskin and Big Cat Rescue would endanger the lives of their neighbors as well as their own employees and volunteers in this way. It is shocking that they would endanger the life of the leopard itself in this way since there is a very real risk that the leopard would be hurt or killed if it had escaped. It is ironic that Big Cat Rescue frequently criticizes other zoos claiming that Big Cat Rescue is better able to handle exotic cats.

On Christmas Day in 2007 a tiger escaped from an enclosure in San Francisco zoo and killed a zoo visitor. Carole Baskin previously had a cougar escape from her facility in 1996 when her zoo was called Wildlife on Easy Street.

Vernon Yates requests anyone knowing of any animal facility, SPCA or Humane Society or Big Cat Rescue to contact him so that he may take action to protect the welfare of the animal and the public.

Vernon Yates, President & Founder
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation

727-399-1525

Kathy Stearns

Dade City   s Wild Things

37245 Meridian Avenue

Dade City  FL  33525

mail@dadecityswildthings.com

352-5667-9453

813-714-2555 mobile

 

Reporters from TBO the Tribune and WFLA (Ch 8) all called me.

This is what I sent them:

Would you send me a copy of the news release, please?

I’d like to sue Vernon Yates and Kathy Stearns, of Dade City Wild Things, because of all of the false complaints that I believe they have been filing.  A copy of their news alert would be helpful.

Feel free to call me on my cell

They lied if they told you it was a citation.  The number referenced is their complaint they filed.  The Florida Wildlife Commission inspectors said they saw no way a leopard could escape our vacation rotation enclosure but that I would have to apply to their boss in Tallahassee, which I have done, for an exception.  They issued a warning, not a citation, because they believed it was clear that no harm was intended and no harm would have come of the situation.

Here is what I sent Captain Kara Hooker.

Dear Captain Hooker,

I’d like to obtain a variance for our 2.5 acre Vacation Rotation area for our leopards.

All of the cage material is 6 gauge, double galvanized, wire panels with 4 ” square openings.  (The wall, cantilever and wire drape)

The panels are hog ringed with 9 gauge hog rings.

The cage wall is nearly 20 feet high, consisting of an approximately 15 foot high side wall (14 feet and 4 inch at the least) with a 5 foot cantilever extending inward.

What is unique about this construction and makes it safe for even the most athletic cat is a curtain of wire, a foot high, that drapes from the highest peak down toward the floor.  This is braced at regular intervals to keep it in place.

If a cat were to climb, upside down, for the five feet of the cantilever, this draping of a wire panel keeps them from being able to get a paw out past the wire and over to the top of the cantilever.

The walls are staked at the bottom to follow the terrain so that there are no gaps.  There is an apron along the eastern wall, because that is the side that faces other cats and where the most pacing and posturing goes on, although there has never been a serious attempt at digging by any of the cats.

There are 3 roofed sections that are attached to the outside of the enclosure where the cats are fed each day and we do feed every day; unlike any other place I know.  If the winds get up to 30 MPH the cats are locked in the roofed sections until the winds die down.

The platforms and trees are positioned 16 feet from any point on the cage wall, cantilever or curtain.

The poles are 18 foot long, 3 inch steel pipes, sunk in concrete, at 10 foot intervals.

Maintenance to the trees, grass and foliage is done every two weeks, in between cats’ turns to be on vacation.

Attached is a video we made about the construction and photos of the cage.

Most captive leopards only live to be 10-12 but all of our leopards are over the age of 16; 16, 17, 18, 20 and 22.  All but two of these leopards have been declawed by former owners as well. (none of the clawed leopards have been in the enclosure)

Would you grant us a variance on this cage design for our leopards so that they can have the benefit of 2 week vacations where they can run, swim and have an unobscured view of the sky?

What happens next?

There is no fine or strike on our record for the warning letter.  We have applied for an exemption to the rule and now it is up to the FWC to approve this fun space for our leopards, or deny it. Meanwhile, no leopards can go on vacation.

We believe Vernon Yates and Kathy Stearns also filed another false complaint with OSHA.  I haven’t gotten a copy yet, but will have to address their nonsense formally.  The complaint, as read to me over the phone is about the leopards on vacation endangering staff, something about a cougar being lifted off a platform that was more than 4 feet off the ground, which requires safety harnesses if the employees are up on the platform, and exposing employees to zoonotic diseases by not quarantining animals.  All of these claims, as well as the last round of false complaints are ridiculous, but it is the only way they can divert us from the work of passing the Big Cats & Public Safety Act, which would stop them from breeding, buying and selling big cats for their own personal gain.

See the actual caging rules and note how tiny the minimum standards are.  Yates and Stearns have both been previously cited for failing to even meet these miserably minimal standards.

Cameron and Zabu in Vacation Rotation Enclosure

Big Cat Rescue’s Research

1) A paper written on clouded leopards where information provided by BCR on the website is the main reference: http://lutetimes.com/2013/05/2 0/clouded-leopard-new-species- offers-new-discoveries/

2) Parasite Research paper that used scat samples collected by BCR to examine and provide the data – Parasite research

3) A research paper that used samples of male ocelot urine provided by BCR – Rodents Orrock and Danielson

4) BCR included in a research paper about Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in wild pallas’ cats – Brown Pallas cat Vet Imm imm

5) BCR were asked to participate in a programme alongside the Centre for Conservation Biology at the University of Washington. The university developed the scat detection dog program in 1997 and needed scat samples from BCR’s asian leopards in order to train their Conservation Canines before heading out to Cambodia to collect data on wild cats. The project was fronted by the Sr Programme Officer of WWF’s Asian Species Conservation Program who also asked BCR for assistance with a this major initiative in tiger conservation. As a result of BCR’s input they were able to aid conservation projects around the world:

Blog page: http://bigcatrescue.org/bcr- leopards-answer-the-call-to- save-tigers-in-indochina/
WWF website of the project: http://wwf.panda.org/about_ our_earth/search_wwf_news/? 198393/us-dogs-to-sniff-out- cambodian-tigers

Conservation Canines: http://conservationbiology.uw. edu/conservation-canines/

6)  Big Cat Rescue is also providing photo images of endangered cats for an eBay guide designed to eliminate the illegal trade of cat skins.  Many people don’t know they are dealing in illegal wildlife and eBay has a hard time regulating the trade.  This guide will help protect the cats by illustrating the coat markings of endangered species.

Big Cat Mug Shots Catch Poachers Red-handed

The illegal portion of the 15 billion dollar trade in exotic pets is third only to the market for illegal drugs and weapons. In 2005, some 210 million wild animals were brought legally into the U.S. and many more were smuggled, because there are just 120 USFWS inspectors to cover 39 International airports and all of the border crossings. In just the legal importations, that means each inspector must view and approve the health of almost 15,000 animals per day, every day of the year.

World Wildlife Federation of Poland (WWF)- an international non-governmental wildlife conservation organization, is preparing a wild cat manual for Polish Customs and Police CITES coordinators. Big Cat Rescue has been invited to participate with our photos and knowledge of big cats. Its purpose is to facilitate a proper identification for officers, of all wild cat species – both live and their parts (skins, skulls etc.) The manual will be distributed for free to the officers during a workshop, which WWF organizes specially for coordinators in Poland. Special training on wild cats’ identification is crucial, as cat skins are seized every year on polish borders. This is a distinctive honor for us to be able to use our experience to impact real life criminal happenings and make changes to save animal’s lives.

7) The BCR website with the facts and news it provides has been used as a scientific reference in a paper written about white tigers and problems that arise through inbreeding – Accumulation of Deleterious Mutations Due to Inbreeding in Tiger Population

8) In 2007 BCR provided scat samples to aid in the extension of research done by Dr Tom McCarthy of the International Snow Leopard Trust (ISLT). Dr McCarthy worked alongside WDCF to see if their dogs could be trained to confirm that scats collected by human searchers are indeed from snow leopards, and then to go one step further and identify which individual animal produced the scats. Listed as endangered in 1972, the snow leopard (Uncia uncia) ranges over 12 countries in central Asia, including Mongolia, China, Bhutan, and Afghanistan. Like many endangered species, the snow leopard is imperiled due to habitat loss, poaching, and loss of prey. The entire population is thought to consist of 3,500 to 7,000 animals in the wild, but researchers need to hone in on an accurate population count to be able to monitor population and range change. By using the dogs, the aim was to find out how much area was covered to find the scats, how many scats were collected, and which animals produced each scat to provide detailed population information for Dr. McCarthy and his colleagues. By building on the research using the scat from BCR, they could explore the effectiveness of dogs discriminating among snow leopard scats, and determine details which may be specific to snow leopards such as cost-effectiveness, proper study design, misclassification rates, and appropriate selection and maintenance of scent-matching dogs. –  http://bigcatrescue.org/big- cat-rescue-helps-save-snow- leopards/

9) Saving Animals From Extinction in the Wild is a program whereby Big Cat Rescue supports conservation efforts around the world. Our web site addresses local and global concerns about environment and has over 12,000 pages of information, movie clips and sounds. The information provided has helped wildlife rehabilitators identify animals and obtain proper care instruction, helped officials in smuggling cases to identify rare species of exotic cats being illegally traded and those are just a few of the ways that we know the site has had an impact this year.In addition to providing information about conservation efforts around the world, Big Cat Rescue has actually funded some and provided services in others. http://bigcatrescue.org/2007- big-cat-rescue-is- international-in-its-scope-of- services/

10) BCR maintain a web site that is considered THE source on exotic cat information that includes information on all 35 species of wild cats with photos and their sounds.  Because BCR is home to the world’s largest and most diverse collection of exotic cats we provide photos that depict animals most people have never seen. www.bigcatrescue.org

11) BCR has an extensive Enrichment programme that focuses on the development of appropriate enrichment for our captive cats. The enrichment committee focuses the enrichment given on trying to encourage natural behaviours. http://bigcatrescue.org/ enrichment/

12) Paper Tigers by TRAFFIC TRAFFICCatReport.pdf

13) The Big Cat Handling Crisis

14) How Big Cats Live in the United States Rev 4-17-12

15) Generic Tigers

16) Natalia Borrego, a doctoral research student from the University of Miami, conducts a research experiment with Bengali and some of the other tigers around the sanctuary. Turns out, Bengali is one smart feline (but we already knew that)!

17) Big Cat Nutrition has been one of our longest ongoing research projects.  From the early nineties, when we researched the best diets for captive big cats and self published Exotic Cats as Housepets to 2014 when we have applied that research by selecting a balanced carnivore diet, there have been many different diets tried, tested and rejected.  One such rejected diet (1990’s) was a dry diet by Purina manufacturer called Mazuri for Carnivores.  See our current diet: http://bigcatrescue.org/feed-cats/

18) Cage design research has been another huge part of our operations over the past 22 years (since 1992).  http://bigcatrescue.org/cages/

19) Enrichment Research has been continuously studied to determine if there are ways to offset the negative impact of captivity on animals who are hard wire to live free.   http://bigcatrescue.org/enrichment/

Our Documentation of Daily Research

Below are screen shots of our internal research and application of research in our daily work at Big Cat Rescue.  This information is gathered and compiled daily by our volunteers and used to improve the way we care for our cats and how we assist others globally with theirs.

Operant conditioning (behavior research and modification) is done daily and logged on this intranet site:

Our enrichment committee meets weekly to create enrichment for the cats, based on our daily observations and research into what they do and don’t like, as the enrichment is handed out each day.

Medical records are kept on 100+ exotic cats here in this database for research and application of that research into the best possible care for our cats and others that we assist globally.

Several of our cats have daily medical charts that are updated to evaluate efficacy of treatment.

Medical and behavioral observations are researched and documented daily so that we can determine trends and best care practices.  In the screen shot below is an abbreviated list of our 100 + wild cats.

 

Clicking on their name brings up their entire medical history and a form for our people to fill in their observations.  This one is for a tiger named Nikita.

The types of observations that are recorded in their daily research are on the following three screen shots.

One

Two

Three

​

Big Cat Rescue is a facility dedicated to researching wild cat care and applying that research to our daily operations.  We have created many clones of this site for other facilities to use so they have the best tools available in big cat care.

Big Cat Rescue’s Feeding Protocol

WHAT BIG CAT RESCUE FEEDS

Big Cat Rescue feeds our 500 pounds of food per day and we use Triple A Brand Meat Company because it is the best and the cats LOVE it.

Feline Complete Diet: Beef muscle meat, KanTech Feline Complete vitamin/mineral premix.

• Packaged in three 10 pound frozen bags per box
• Click here for complete nutritional information*

Bones:Bovine leg shanks.

• Packaged in one 40 pound bag per box
• Choice of 4-5″ small and 8-10″ large

Raw Hides: Beef Hides

• Approximately 18″ x 24″ pieces, 6 pieces per box

Chunk Meat: Beef Chunk

• Packaged in five 5 pound frozen bags per box
• Click here for complete nutritional information* 

Please call for further information at 1-800-437-5581  sales@tripleabrandmeatcompany.com
Log in to this page every day between 4PM and 8PM EDT to see Nikita Lion being fed.

If you see Nikita Lion pacing behind the gate at her feeding area, that means the door has been dropped so the Keepers can safely put the food in the lockout area for her.  Then they open the gate to let her in.  Nikita has another water bowl in the other side of her cage, so don’t worry if the door is down to this one right before feeding.

Read this article on a site that specializes in pet cat diets:

http://feline-nutrition.org/features/theres-no-kibble-served-at-the-big-cat-rescue

We also use Colorado Box Beef

INTRODUCTION

Big Cats Love Feeding Time!

Nutrition is the process by which an organism takes in (ingests), digests and assimilates food. The types of food ingested and the manner in which they are taken in are as varied as the animals in the sanctuary. Nutrition is a science, while feeding sanctuary animals is an art. Feeding involves the animal’s behavior, the kind of food, when, where, how and why it is fed; the preparation and presentation of the food; feeding records and the sanctuary Commissary.

THE KEEPER’S ROLE

The Keeper is the interface between the animal and all the other staff in the sanctuary. This role is especially important where feeding is concerned because only the Keeper knows how well an animal is eating, whether or not the animal finds the food acceptable, and its general condition resulting from what, when and how it is fed.

No matter how good the diet is, it must be properly presented to the animal, at the optimum time, and under conditions that allow the animal to eat adequate amounts. The Keeper’s role is extremely important in the preparation and presentation of food and cannot be stressed enough. A knowledge of the kind of animal, its behavior and nutritional requirements are all necessary to provide a properly presented diet. Check diet sheets regularly to familiarize yourself with any changes and to ensure the diet as offered matches the diet sheet.

DAILY REQUIREMENTS

For most animals food is presented on a daily basis. Feeding times vary with different species, and with animal management techniques; for example most of our larger carnivores are fed in the evening or late afternoon to reduce the attraction of flies and ants.

Sanitation is very important, especially where the food offered is moist or starts to decompose rapidly (e.g. fish, meat or fruit). Dry foods such as hay and browse offer less of a problem but must be kept clean and uncontaminated. Food bowls, trays, feeding platforms and areas must be kept clean and (usually) dry.

Every organism needs nutrients for its maintenance as well as for growth or production. Maintenance is defined as the condition in which an animal is neither gaining nor losing body energy (or other nutrients). A maintenance diet is one that keeps the organism alive and healthy but does not provide for additional energy uses; these may take several forms – exercise, building additional organic substances (growth), production of a fetus or milk, and increases in reserves such as fat. Maintenance requirements are for maintaining body temperature, physiological functions (such as respiration and digestion) and repairing and replacing tissue, without the animal gaining or losing body weight.

FEEDING CONSIDERATIONS

Volume 6 of the International sanctuary Yearbook lists several criteria of importance in the feeding of sanctuary animals.

The employment of the teeth and digestive organs in such a way as to keep them healthy. Supplying the necessary nutrients which each animal requires. Providing occupation and contentment with respect to the feeding process. Allowing for seasonal changes in needs (sexual activity, external environment etc). Avoiding psychological stress, which is linked with nutrition. (R.Fiennes, Feeding Animals In Captivity) The cost of various foods must also be considered in the sanctuary. In feeding sanctuary animals we try to ensure that each animal ingests sufficient food to maintain its physical, physiological and psychological well being. Several points should be considered. The nature of the diet being offered – is it a natural or man-made diet? Does it require supplementing or is it already balanced?

The type of feed container, how many are needed, and the location.
The type of exhibit or holding area.
The number of animals and the sex ratio.
Dominance factors.
Seasonal requirements (climatic).
Mixed species exhibits.
The physical condition of the animal being offered food.
The animal’s previous diet.
Control of the animal’s routine.

FEEDING BEHAVIOR:

In order to establish an effective feeding method we must take into consideration the animal’s natural feeding behavior. Some animals have evolved into very specialized feeders, which causes problems when trying to provide natural or acceptable substitute diets for them in captivity. Some animals are continuous feeders while others are occasional feeders, and food must be offered accordingly.

FOOD PRESENTATION:

The presentation of food is as important as its composition. Animals which feed on live food may be gradually weaned onto dead food, which is often easier to keep, less costly and less dangerous.

Animals seek their food aided by their sensory organs; sense of smell, taste, touch and vision are not all equally well developed in all animals. Some species may rely heavily on a single sense, in which case the presentation must make the food appealing to that sense. Birds are often very dependent on vision. A perfect food in pellet form for a bird may be unacceptable because the bird does not recognize the diet as food. It may be necessary to put animals which aren’t familiar with an “unnatural” food together with others who already recognize the food and accept it, in order that the first group can learn to identify the new diet as a food source by watching the other animal eating.

As well as the need to recognize food as such, the animal must also be able to eat it. The physical adaptations of an animal, its food intake organs (tongue, teeth, lips, beak etc) must be considered when offering food; we must also consider its feeding patterns.

Many species swallow food whole. The size of the food particle is important. Rodents require material to gnaw on for dental conditioning.

LOCATION OF FOOD:

The positioning and number of food bowls and troughs, feeding stations etc. should be based on the feeding behavior of the species. In displays with a number of individuals several dishes may be necessary to reduce or avert fighting over food.

Hygiene considerations also dictate where bowls are placed; they must be positioned to avoid contamination with feces and urine. Food should be protected from rain, snow, excessive sunlight and heat. Pests such as mice, sparrows and insects must be kept away from food as much as possible. The public should have no direct access to animal food containers except under direct supervision. Keepers must be able to service the feeding area in a safe manner.

Hay feeders should be above ground to avoid fecal contamination, but should not be so high as to force the animal to reach too high for its feed. Grazing animals, with their continuous feeding habits, would in this situation, spend much of their time in unnatural positions which could result in spinal deformation. Eye infections and irritations can be caused by hay particles and dust falling into an animal’s eyes when the animal has to reach into a high feeder.

Construction of feeders should utilize smooth surfaces and rounded edges to avoid injury. Dishes for many species should be well fastened.

There are other special requirements; experience and a good basic understanding of animal feeding habits, behavior and adaptations will provide a guide for constructing safe effective feeding stations and for proper feeding techniques.

TIMING OF FEEDING

Animals feed at different times in a 24-hour period (nocturnal and diurnal feeders); some feed over very long periods and are continuous feeders whereas others feed only for short periods. Some animals feed several times a day (or night) while others, such as snakes and birds of prey may pause for days or even weeks between feedings.

Keepers have less opportunity to observe feeding in those species which are nocturnal, unless the light cycle is reversed. Animals which are continuous feeders make it difficult to judge the total amount of food consumed, especially when they are exhibited in groups. Some animals may be separated at feeding times, as part of their normal routine. This allows the Keeper to monitor the animal’s food intake, make diet adjustments; it also allows for exhibition in natural groups once feeding is over.

FOOD AND WATER CONTAINERS

Big Cat Rescue uses different kinds and sizes of containers for food and water:
Rubber bowls (2.5, 5, and 10 gallon size)
Stainless steel bowls, ceramic bowls, and plastic bowls
Wood and metal feed troughs various sizes and shapes
Paper plates

Food and water bowls should be cleaned thoroughly each day. Don’t forget the outside and underneath of the containers.

When selecting a container for an animal’s food or water, consider the hygiene requirements, pest control, safety and serviceability, and the position and number of bowls required. Always remember to clean the area around and underneath food stations.

ANIMAL TYPES

There are many different aspects of food intake and several categories can be identified besides herbivorous, carnivorous and omnivorous, which only describe the type of food eaten.

Predators and Prey animals: Predators and prey show important differences in feeding behavior. Predators are species which may pursue and kill other animals, and consume them. The competition for potential food and the animal’s predatory skills develop an aggressive behavior and intolerance for other individuals. A Keeper may expect fighting over food with animals of this group during feeding. Ideally all individuals in a group of predators are presented with food simultaneously and spaced as far apart as is necessary to ensure a peaceful meal.

Competition and fighting over food stands in direct relation to its abundance or its availability to the species. Ungulates normally seen grazing peacefully together may become competitive and aggressive when a Keeper hands out tidbits, or where the feeding station is too small to allow all animals to feed together.

Group feeding disadvantages include:
Competition for food; fighting and possible injury.
Uneven distribution of various food items among individuals.
Lack of Keeper control over individual intake.
Individuals with specific needs (medication, lactation supplements, etc.) may not be served.

Competitive fighting for food, has no place in the sanctuary. Remember that animals will defend food or that food may be the cause of aggressive behavior in an otherwise calm and approachable animal. Take care in approaching animals which have food, or if you are carrying food.

FOOD PREPARATION AREAS

Make sure your kitchen or food preparation area is kept scrupulously clean. All tools and equipment must be kept dry, clean and oiled if necessary. Keep knives honed sharp; make sure all equipment is hung or shelved. Any foods or supplements should be kept in tightly closed, rodent proof containers. Containers should be amber, opaque or light proof as many vitamins are destroyed by light and heat. Disinfect this area regularly; clean benches, and keep cutting blocks dry and clean, and sinks scrubbed.

FOOD PREPARATION

Keepers spend a good part of their day preparing foods for the animals in their area. The amount of time spent depends on the kind of animals and their diets. Each Keeper must be familiar with the kinds of food being fed and the manner of preparation and presentation. Keepers should take special care to see that food items, additives and supplements are properly mixed and presented in a manner acceptable to the animal. Do not assume that refusal of certain items is a rejection of that food without first altering food size or method of presentation.

The sanctuary’s Nutritionist has the responsibility of formulating the animals’ diet, working with the curator and veterinary staff. The initial preparation of the properly balanced diet for all of the variety of sanctuary animals then falls to the Commissary staff. The Keepers responsibility is the final preparation and presentation of the food in a manner which is acceptable to the animal in quality, quantity and timing. Keepers should be familiar with their animal’s nutritional needs, and can have direct input into the dietary system through requesting diet changes and speaking with the Nutritionist.

COMMISSARY AND NUTRITIONIST

Big Cat Rescue believes in the nutritional concept of sanctuary animal feeding. We have a fully trained Commissary staff working seven days a week.

Animal nutrition in the sanctuary involves a two way flow of information between the Commissary staff on one hand and the Keepers on the other. Feedback on diet acceptability, consumption levels, etc. is essential in the planning of sanctuary animal diets. Not much information is available on sanctuary nutrition because it is such a new field. Diets are often based on those developed for domestic stock or through ranching of such animals as mink, and proceed by trial and error often, until the right balance is achieved for sanctuary stock.

If you find new or relevant information in your reading which applies to sanctuary animals, share it with the Nutritionist. People with specific interests may come across dietary information of value to the sanctuary. Because sanctuary nutrition has become such an exact science the Keeper can be a valuable source of information from outside the sanctuary, as well as information about his or her animals.

The Commissary staff prepare and store all the food used in the sanctuary. Food is distributed to the Keepers daily or special additions as needed.

Big Cat Rescue offers a variety of pelletized and cubed foods for its animals as well as commercially prepared and packaged foods, whole animals and live foods. Pellets, crumble, cubes are all dry foods, often specifically prepared for the sanctuary from formula provided by the sanctuary’s Nutritionist.

Most foods are supplemented to correct nutritional imbalances, and where possible, formulated diets, (prepared flash frozen meats, pellets, cubes) that have a complete balanced nutritional “package” are offered.

However, the change of seasons, personal preferences, or specific animal manipulations may require dietary changes that the Keeper should initiate. No diet should be altered without consultation with your Foreman/Overseer, Nutritionist/ Veterinarian, or Curator. Even the slightest dietary change could have far-reaching positive or negative consequences that all the above should be aware of.

FOOD RECORDS

By defining diets for each animal or group in the sanctuary, and closely monitoring animal health, reproduction, longevity and food intake, we ensure the best quality of life for our sanctuary stock. A number of forms are used to facilitate this feeding control.

DIET SHEETS

Each animal or group of animals has a diet sheet listing the kinds of food the animals receive, the quantity, how often and what supplements are added. The sheet is kept in the animal’s holding area or in a central kitchen area such as in each pavilion. These sheets are the results of considerable work and the instructions and amounts should be followed accurately. Diet sheets must be kept up-to-date and should reflect changes in the group (births and deaths), seasonal needs and the amounts and types of supplements required.

The Keeper’s sheet must be up-to-date and represent what the animal is actually being fed; make sure your sheets are reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

Diet changes can be requested on a feed requisition form (see 2, below). Provided that you have supplied relevant information about the diet and the animals involved, and that the changes are nutritionally acceptable, a new diet sheet can be issued within two days.

Current diets for all animals in the sanctuary are kept by the Nutritionist; outdated diet sheets are also kept so that the entire dietary history of an animal is available for reference. This enables us to correlate diet with breeding activity, birth rate, survival and growth of young to establish species parameters.

FEED CONTROL SHEETS

For some species we utilize feed control sheets which record the daily amounts of food offered, the different kinds of food, and the amounts eaten and refused. Diet control sheets offer an excellent means of closely following variations in food intake; studies of these sheets can determine whether diet changes are related to seasons or are for other reasons. They are also useful in establishing diet parameters for newly arrived species, determining quantities and preferences, and deciding maintenance and lactating diets.

The sheets are filled out daily by the Keeper; food going into an exhibit as well as the food coming out (as refuse) must be carefully weighed and recorded.

GUIDELINES FOR ANIMAL NUTRITION

Know what to feed and how much to feed. Underfed animals are more susceptible to disease; overfed animals may have health problems (from obesity) or reproductive problems.

Know what size food to offer each animal. Generally the smaller the animal the smaller the food size. You can provide occupational value by varying the food size.

Be familiar with different kinds of food used.

Try to feed according to the animal’s needs and feeding patterns; always use a routine.

Don’t feed spoiled, moldy or dusty food or food of poor quality.

Check all your food for contamination and spoilage, even in the bag.

If the food has been rejected by an animal, find out why. Is the animal sick? Or the food spoiled or at the wrong temperature? Has it been fed at the wrong time of day?

Make sure all animals in a group receive an adequate share of food, supplements, water and medication.

Keep food containers, bowls, storage bins, etc. clean inside and out.

Observe, record, report and follow-up any diet changes. Follow up on diet change requests.

If you are in doubt about an animal’s diet, ask questions.

When reporting an animal’s food consumption, report its attitude towards the food.

Keepers can present food in exciting and imaginative ways to interest their animals, (e.g. hiding food so the animal forages for it).

Feeding should be limited to how much the animals need and can eat, not the amount you think because they “look” hungry. Feed by your diet sheet; if this is too much or too little, have it changed.

Rotate your feed stations where possible – always clean up underneath feeding areas.

Use as many feed sites as are needed to safely feed your animals.

If your animal isn’t eating, tell someone. Note it on your report.

When storing bulk food, never add fresh food to older, stored food.

Empty and thoroughly clean out the container (jar, bin, etc.) before adding new foods.

Order only what food can be consumed in a reasonable period of time.

For example, the Mega C is readily oxidized. Even primate cubes with stabilized Vitamin C loses half of the Vitamin C within six weeks. Distinguish between production dates and expiry dates on bags before returning unused foods.

WATER

Most animals require fresh water for drinking, bathing or living in. The basic rule for the Keeper when supplying fresh water is to provide it as often as the animal requires, several times a day if necessary. Always keep your water dishes cleaned and disinfected; clean them inside and outside and underneath. Place water dishes in the exhibit in such a way that the animal won’t defecate or urinate in the bowl e.g. don’t place the water bowl under an arboreal animal’s branch. Use a dish of adequate size for your animals, or more than one dish if necessary. Some animals and birds delight in manipulating bowls, so sometimes a heavy ceramic or concrete dish may be needed.  Be sure the dish is shaded.

Remember that most animals have no access to water other than that which you provide for them; a good Keeper doesn’t go off on a coffee break if his animals don’t have adequate clean, fresh water.

Water is used in a variety of ways by many species. Snakes may bathe in a water dish prior to shedding their skin. Before supplying an exhibit with water, make sure it is at the correct temperature; try to match the temperature with the animal’s environment. Never offer water that is too hot or too cold.

City water supplies usually contain chlorine, often in amounts which can vary from day to day. The chlorine in the water reacts with iron or copper in the water pipes to form metal (chloride) molecules which can inhibit absorption through the skin of oxygen in the water by amphibians. It is important that tap water isn’t used directly in amphibian tanks or displays; a supply of water should be kept at all times, aged for at least 24 hours to allow the chlorine to dissolve out of solution into the air before the water is used.

A NO (PUBLIC) FEEDING POLICY

Most sanctuary’s discourage the feeding of sanctuary animals by the public, but a no feeding rule is hard to enforce. Visitors like to feed animals because it links them with the sanctuary animal; it is a contact and a relationship, however brief. It may allow them control over the animal and may also stimulate behavior or movement in an otherwise inactive animal.

All sanctuary animals receive good, plentiful balanced diets; extra food isn’t required and can harm the animal. Most animals are like children, and will eat sweet food or junk-food all day. The sanctuary’s responsibility is like that of a child’s parents who must control the child’s diet. An animal full of junk-food won’t eat its normal sanctuary diet.

Animals will often eat whatever is offered to them – cigarettes, matches, food, bubblegum, cans, etc. Other animals are more fussy and won’t accept food that is very different from their basic diet.

Visitors who attempt to feed sanctuary animals should be apprised of the following facts:

1. The animal receives a nutritious balanced diet and doesn’t need extra food. Many animals will eat junk food or sweet food even when they aren’t hungry. The sanctuary can’t control what they eat when people feed them – animals can end up with deficiencies, poor teeth and bad health. Food offered by visitors to certain animals can transmit disease (such as measles and colds to primates). Feeding by visitors disrupts the proper maintenance cycle of the animals – renders any feed control data invalid and may cause the Keepers to make inaccurate observations on how much the animal is eating.
2. Causes aggressive encounters and a stereotyped dependency (begging).

There is no such thing as a free lunch for sanctuary animals. Make sure the public understand why they aren’t allowed to feed. The sanctuary staff aren’t trying to spoil the visitors fun, they are trying to discharge their responsibility in caring for their animals.  The exception to this are the supervised Feeding Tours.

Dying To Be Held

If we were only $20.00 away from curing cancer, we would surely all clamor to be the one to complete the fundraising for the cure. Some of the ills of our society are that close to a cure. Ending the abuse of baby lions and tigers is one of them.

In 2005 The Chronicles of Narnia’s computer generated animation of Aslan the lion captivated the imagination of all who witnessed the fantasy. The notion of being so special that the creature known as the King of Beasts would allow us to touch him became irresistible to many when they were allowed to act out their fantasy. It only cost them $20.00… and their conscience.

After paying $20.00 to have their picture made with a baby lion or tiger the vast majority of people, who learned the truth about the miserable lives captive cats lead, confess “I knew in my heart that there was something wrong…” Often it is the nagging conscience, reminding them of the distressed baby’s cries for their real mothers, the barren accommodations, and the sleaziness of the business operators that haunted them long after the thrill of the moment had passed.

Most of the “pay to play” operations stay on the move. They set up in flea markets, fair grounds and parking lots for only a few days at a time. They frequently change their names and rarely own a facility anywhere that is open to public scrutiny. Then know that their pitch of doing this for education or conservation can easily be disproved. By the time they are found out, they are on the road again. In 2005 there were far too many lion and tiger babies bred just for this purpose and those who paid to touch them would be appalled if they knew how life has turned out for those innocent cubs.

Big cats can breed several times a year, giving birth to 2-6 cubs. The cubs are immediately pulled and bottle raised so that the mothers can be bred again. It was not unusual to see a circus-type side show offering the public the chance to handle cubs who were only days old. To keep the cubs small they are often starved, and deprived of the calcium and vitamins needed to build big, healthy bodies. In some cases cubs have been purposely poisoned to give them diarrhea so that they cannot put on any weight. Pound for pound a big cat is 12 times stronger than a man, so keeping them small and handlable is the main objective for these abusers. When they get too big to use, they disappear and there is virtually no way to track them. If the dealer has 10 tigers this year and 10 tigers next year, then it appears as if no births and no disappearances have happened, so no further investigation takes place. It is no coincidence that the US is the second largest consumer of illegal, black market tiger parts.

In 2007 USDA adopted a policy stating that baby big cats, under the age of 8 weeks and over the age of 16 weeks, could not be handled by the public. They also define a big cat as lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, mountain lions, and cheetahs. Florida and some other states still classify a mountain lion as a small cat and allow them to be kept as pets, despite the fact that they can grow to be over 200 lbs and are very dangerous.

Many pseudo sanctuaries breed their big cats to attract donors and to lure volunteers who want to play with the babies. But in 2007 the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced: “Accredited wildlife sanctuary means a facility that cares for live specimens of one or more of the prohibited wildlife species and:

(1) Is approved by the United States Internal Revenue Service as a corporation that is exempt from taxation under Sec. 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(2) Does not commercially trade in prohibited wildlife species, including offspring, parts, and products;

(3) Does not propagate any of the prohibited wildlife species; and

(4) Does not allow any direct contact between the public and the prohibited wildlife species. (prohibited wildlife species incl. lions, tigers, leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards, jaguars, cougars and cheetahs).

(Legitimate sanctuaries meet or exceed the minimum requirements at SanctuaryStandards.com)

A lot can change in three years and there have been fewer and fewer news reports hawking the fun of touching a baby wild cat. Venues are becoming more aware of the public disdain for the practice and no longer want to be associated with what is now commonly viewed as cruelty. Every year there is a parade in Pinellas County, FL where a local man takes his tigers, bears and other exotic animals out in circus wagons as part of the spectacle. It has been a tradition that has gone from being accepted to being booed in just the last year. The operation owner and wildlife trapper, Vernon Yates was quoted in the St. Pete Times as saying, “I thought I would not see it in my lifetime but I think it’s coming — any form of private (exotic animal) ownership will be gone.” The public has become better informed and not only is refusing to support this abuse, but many people are coming forward to end it.

Innkeepers at the Sobotta Manor Bed and Breakfast, Robin and Thurman Hester, wrote Big Cat Rescue asking for help, saying, “I am an Innkeeper in Mount Airy North Carolina where an organization called The Zoo (owned by Pat & Robert Engessor) visited a few days back and they had as part of their show an eight week old tiger cub that was being handed to person after person to have photos made and was crying as in pain the entire time. Additionally when the cat was placed back in the pen it was too ill to even walk and had severe dysentery. They would just rinse its rear and hand to the next person. The condition of this baby was awful and I am afraid for its life. My friend, as well as others, witnessed the condition of this cub. I am from Tampa and am familiar with your organization and hope you can assist.”

Paula Sabatke writes, “I live in northern Wisconsin and visited the Big Cat Rescue for the first time in December, although I have been a fan for years. I am sure that you hear these stories all to often, but I would like your help. This past weekend I attended a professional conference in the Wisconsin Dells at a large resort, the Kalahari. In the lobby, a private vendor was set up with a very young white tiger cub in a small glass enclosure. For a fee, one could pay to have a picture taken with the cub. This cub was about the size of a large house cat and could barely stand on its own. While I took the opportunity to tell anyone who would listen what a terrible and inhumane situation this was, I felt that I should be doing something more. Can you offer any suggestions?”

One of the heretofore most popular tourist attractions in Africa was the opportunity to pet baby lions. The operators of these lion farms have sold themselves as being conservation breeding programs so that people would feel good about doing something that they know in their hearts to be wrong. The Drakenstien Lion Park urges people to consider these facts, “These inbred, human imprinted and psychologically damaged animals have absolutely no conservation value. They cannot be rehabilitated into the wild. They cannot be used to supplement dwindling wild populations.” The lion park, which rescues some cast off captive bred lions, further explains that the only use for these cubs, after they have grown up, is by the canned hunting ranches and says, “Every reputable animal welfare organization in the world considers the practice of using lion cubs for human playthings as cruelty.”

Carole Baskin, Founder of Big Cat Rescue reports, “We respond to every one of these complaints and urge the witness to take pictures, videos and written statements about what they saw to the USDA, to the state agencies that monitor wildlife, and to the media to expose the awful way these great cats are being treated.” They have been doing it and there has been a tremendous shift in the way people are thinking about and treating wild animals.

When the next Aslan the lion movie, Prince Caspian, opened in theaters May 17, 2008 there did not appear to be even one baby lion or baby tiger photo booth advertised across the nation. “We monitor the keywords: lion, tiger, cub, big cat and others via google news alerts and we closely monitor sites like www.911AnimalAbuse.com which is a site that allows people who have witnessed animal abuse to post a letter, photos and video while contacting USDA and the agencies mentioned above at the bottom of every page. We didn’t see one report of a baby lion or baby tiger being used as a prop in conjunction with the opening of the movie,” says Carole Baskin.

So near and yet so far. Exotic and endangered animals are increasingly in the mainstream news as experts such as the 43 member, International Tiger Coalition and the World Bank announced a launch in June of 2008 to save the tiger from extinction. These same groups compiled a petition of more than 125,000 signatures to ban tiger farming. And yet, at a restaurant in Florida on Memorial Day Weekend, the special was “lion steak” for $48.95 a plate because the lion, although in considerable peril, is not yet classified as endangered. To quote Harrison Ford in his public service announcement for Wildaid, a member of the International Tiger Coalition, “When the buying stops, the killing can too.”

A final quote from Baskin sums it up,”We are standing right on the edge of the societal shift toward being more compassionate. There is a bill before congress that will end the public contact with big cats and their babies and thousands upon thousands of people have written their lawmakers to support this bill to protect the babies from being bred, used and discarded as petting props. It is called Haley’s Act (HR 1947) and is named after a 17 year old girl who was mauled to death by a tiger while posing for a photo. You can write a letter in support of the new law at www.CatLaws.com You can end this kind of animal abuse in your lifetime. The cure is only $20.00 and a letter away. Don’t pay to play with a baby big cat and write your Congress today!”

Rule Changes in Florida Comment by July 4, 2008

Even if you are not from Florida, this could make a big difference where you live because Florida currently produces more big cats than any other state.  These cats are hauled all over the country, and sometimes even to foreign countries where people are not as concerned with protecting animals.  When the cats cats can no longer be used to support their owners they are often dumped along the way;  sometimes into the hands of unwitting exotic pet owners and sometimes into the wild.  Ending the trafficking of exotic cats in Florida will greatly reduce the number of these cats who end up suffering in all parts of the world.

Dear Carole:

The view from here is similar. From my first awareness of the problem about 30 years ago until just a few years ago, it just seemed to get worse & worse. At one point in 1996-1997 I knew of more than 100 big cats who were in urgent need of sanctuary space & were on waiting lists.

These days the list is down to just a few at a time — but the big problem now looks to me like sanctuaries (both actual & alleged) running out of money & luck & suddenly dumping dozens to hundreds of big cats all at once. We have already seen several cases, & as the economy worsens, I suspect we’ll see more.

The good news is that the sanctuaries that are thriving are mostly head-&-shoulders better than any that existed 10-20 years ago. We’re mostly past the era of the corn crib cage & cats walking in endless circles, like merry-go-rounds without riders — knock on wood!

I am a bit anxious about the possibility that umpteen more tiger breeders will suddenly pop up, selling cubs at flea markets. After so long a struggle, it is hard to imagine that this phase of it is mostly over. It is not time to declare victory and quit — but it is time to recognize that great progress has been made, & to press on to complete the job.

Cheers,

—
Merritt Clifton
Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE
P.O. Box 960
Clinton, WA 98236

Telephone: 360-579-2505
Fax: 360-579-2575
E-mail: anmlpepl@whidbey.com
Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

Sassyfrass

Male Cougar

DOB  1/1/1998

Rescued  11/17/2010

Sponsor Sassyfrass http://www.bigcatrescue.biz/servlet/the-998/Cougar-Sponsorship/Detail

If only they could speak to us in a language that we understand.  Then we might know the horrors they have survived and be more inclined to protect others from enduring their fate.

I’ll share with you what I do know and hope that will inspire you to help these cougars and to do all you can to end the trade in exotic cats.

Back in the 90s, farmers Al and Kathy Abell, decided to start a breeding facility called Cougar Bluff Enterprises. They set up cages in their back yard in Elizabethtown, IL and filled them with a couple of cougars (Freddy & Sassy) a lion cub named Simba, some wolves and wolf hybrids. It was their plan to breed and sell and be surrounded by the kinds of wild animals they loved. The more they saw of what breeders and dealers were doing to animals, like the former owner who had beaten Sassy with a shovel, the more they realized that there was just no good reason to be breeding and selling exotics, so they never bred the big cats.

Having raised Simba the lion from a cub, they may have been complacent about the dangers of such interactions. Simba wasn’t even full grown before killing Al Abel. On that tragic day, Feb. 12, 2004 Kathy Abel came home to find the lion on the front porch of their home, her dog dead in the yard and no sign of her husband.

Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene as dark was closing in and the lion was on the edge of the 277,000 ac Shawnee National Forest. Kathy could not locate darts for her dart gun and the deputies were ordered to shoot Simba the lion rather than risk him killing someone in the park. It wasn’t until after Simba, body riddled by bullets, lay dying that Kathy discovered her husband dead on the floor of Simba’s cage. It had only taken one bite to the leg to cause him to bleed to death.

Fast forward six years and on Nov. 8, 2010 Chris Poole, of Big Cat Rescue came across a Facebook post saying that Kathy Abell had killed herself and left two cougars and an array of other domestic pets and farm animals with no one for miles around to care for them. We responded right away that we would come get the two cougars, Freddy and Sassy. It took a long 9 days to get the health certificate and import permit and to wait for Kathy’s family to bury her before we would be allowed to arrive on the scene. Meanwhile, Robin Parks, Field Volunteer for the Mountain Lion Foundation had coordinated with Kathy’s sister Kimberly Rapp and a local rehabber, Bev Shofstall to insure that the cats were being fed and cared for.

Big Cat Rescuers; President, Jamie Veronica Murdock, Operations Manager, Gale Ingham and Chris Poole hit the road on Nov. 17th driving straight through the night to Cave In Rock, IL which was the nearest lodge to the cougars. While en-route, Bev the rehabber emailed asking us to hurry as she wasn’t sure Freddy, the 14 year old and very frail cougar, could make it another day. Rescuers made the trip in record time but arrived well after dark. They coordinated with Kimberly Rapp to pick up the cats at first light on the morning of the 18th.

This is where YOU come in.

These cats have witnessed things that no one should ever have to see. It is only through your help that we can make sure their last years are the best years of their lives. Your voice in letters to your lawmakers asking for a ban on the private possession of big cats, at CatLaws.com is what will stop the future breeding, trading and discarding of big cats that led to this sad situation. Your donations are what make it possible for us to commit to an emergency rescue like this.

To donate visit: http://bigcatrescue.org/donate

For PayPal send to CustomerService@BigCatRescue.org

Cougar Rescue Video

Time Line of a Mountain Lion Rescue

On Nov. 8, 2010 Big Cat Rescue videographer, Chris Poole came across this post on Facebook:

Mr. Robin Parks
Special Agent, NCIS (Ret)
Field Volunteer, Mountain Lion Foundation (MLF)
San Diego, California

Images courtesy of Bev Shofstall

This is a long shot, but….Late last night I received word that an acquaintance of mine (Kathy Abell) in southern Illinois apparently killed herself sometime last Thursday (11/4/2010). In addition to a number of pets and farm animals, she left behind two elderly cougars.I have known these cats for nearly 10 years. This is the weekend and I’ve been unable to contact any key player out there, but I did notify the USDA inspector from Indiana who occasionally monitors the cats. A  family member told me that someone from the Illinois Dept of Natural Resources is trying to care for the cats, but I’ve not yet confirmed this. The sheriff’s office that responded to the scene has been less than helpful as the matter of the care and disposition of the cats is not their concern. I’ll be working the phones hot & heavy tomorrow morning.The USDA inspector has already suggested the cats may have to be put down, and I fully realize there just may not be any other solution. Both cats are fragile and stress easily, and one is terrified of men as he was beaten with a shovel by a man when he was a cub. I’m hoping that I will be given at least a few days to place these cats before someone makes a decision to shoot them.Do any of you know any accredited facility in Illinois or elsewhere in the Midwest that might be able to assume custody???Do any of you know any person in that area who might be able to lend some personal expertise as to the feeding and care of the animals. I’m sure the DNR person, will do her best, but won’t have a clue.  Any other ideas??For whatever good it will do, I may be headed out there in the next few days to see if I can help, even if it’s only to ensure the cats are put down humanely. I may know more about the cats than any one else.

Nov. 8:  I called Robin Parks and told him we could provide permanent care for the cougars and could come pick them up.

Robin said Bev Shofstall was going out to check on the cats and that she should be the main contact person for those coming in.  Bev is a private citizen, not a DNR employee, who operates the Free Again Wildlife Rehab center in Carterville, Illinois. Shofstall has a cougar at her facility and has the basic skills and knowledge to keep the lid on this matter until some better solution can be reached.

Robin described the cats as:

1. Freddy, male, maybe 160 lbs, about 14 yrs old, declawed, the usual joint and arthritis stuff but not bad for his age, easily stressed by noise and strangers, easily managed by the threat of spraying him with a garden hose at one end while offering chicken at the other. He is probably already very stressed by what has happened.

2. Sassy, male, maybe 12, maybe 120 lbs, afraid of men as a result of a son-of-a-bitch beating him with a shovel handle when he was a cub, not bad with women, no real physical probs that I know of.

Nov. 9: Robin reported, “Freddy, the older cat, is not eating so well and is obviously grieved about Kathie not being there. He tends to lose weight kinda quickly when he does this, but usually bounces back ok.”  He went on to say, “Kathie’s will passed nearly everything to a son, Neil Evans, by a earlier relationship, and that son (in Indiana or MI @ obit) has passed authority to Kimberly Rapp (sister) to handle all matters regarding property and animals and whatever.  I once helped transfer Freddie from one enclosure to another. He didn’t want to cooperate, but gave in when the garden hose came out. It was done without any tranq’ing. Sassy might be a bit more problematic, but my feeling is no darting will be needed with him either. Can’t recall if I mentioned it earlier but…Freddie is declawed, but I think Sassy is still packin’. Both have plenty of teeth.”

The address for the site in Hardin County where the animals are is listed as Rt 2, Elizabethtown, Illinois, near Cave-in-Rock. The site is very close to a tourist area known as “The Garden of the Gods” in Karbers Ridge, Illinois, and is also a mile from a very small camp ground area called “Camp Cadiz”.

Nov. 9: Just so you know what we are up against when we try to rescue a big cat.  The exploiters would rather the cats die or go to some backyard jail cell than see us make case after case for why the private possession of these cats should be banned.  Robin said 6 people he didn’t know called him with comments that characterized us as “the anti-Christ”, “pagan sacrifices”, “gold digging slut”, and said “her facilities are pig sties”, better the cats be dead than with her, she’s only a “hoarder”, she’s only trying to advance her own personal agenda at the expense of the others trying to help, and worse. He also said he knew BS when he smelled it.

Nov. 10: Robin reports: “Bev Shofstall did visit the cats yesterday.  Things are as good as can be expected, but Freddy is not eating, and it’s taking a toll. He appears a bit weaker and all the stress has probably made worse whatever joint/bone/age problems he has. I have seen him go thru this before, so we shouldn’t write him off just yet, but for SURE he’ll need some TLC and handling with kid gloves. Bev brought some very fresh venison for him, but he showed no interest. She will visit the cats again tomorrow (Thursday, the day of the memorial service).  Sassy, on the other hand, appears to be doing ok, still has a good appetite, and his usual cranky disposition. He just may not be a problem to transfer at all.”

Nov. 1: Kathy G. Abell, age 56, died at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, at her residence and was cremated and memorialized today.

Nov. 12, 2010 Robin let me know that Ann Marie Houser took over from Elizabeth Taylor as the USDA agent involved.  He said Bev had returned to visit the cats the day before and that “I talked with Bev Shofstall a few minutes ago. She was at the site yesterday, and Freddy seems to be doing a bit better. He’s eaten some venison and other goodies and appears a bit more alive. He has issues, but it’s likely he’s mostly been reacting to the loss of his Kathie and all the strangers being around. Sassy, the other cat, seems to be doing fine.”

I told Kimberly Rapp I would need her to fax me a health certificate for the cats so I could apply for a FL import permit.

Nov. 13:  A vet came out to inspect the cats for transport and Kimberly faxed it to me.  I filled out the FWC permit application, attached the health certificate and faxed to the Florida Wildlife Commission.  Our “friend” at the FWC, Capt. John West has retired, so I was worried about how long the permit would take as they claim to be running two weeks behind on them.

Nov. 15: I called the FWC to see if they got my fax over the weekend and they had, but complained that Precious was on vacation and that Capt. Linda Harrison was overloaded with permit applications.  I explained the dire situation again, as I had in the application, and asked that they give Freddy and Sassy priority.  I then contacted Capt. Harrison and asked her to sort through the pile to find our application.

I asked Kimberly Rapp if she wanted us to pay for Great Dane carriers locally that she could put in the cages for the cats to get used to, but she said there was no way to get them through the gates.

Nov. 16: The FWC issued our import permit.  I let Kimberly Rapp and Robin Parks know that we were awaiting Kimberly’s directive on when we should arrive.  We sat on pins and needle all day waiting for a response.  Finally around 9pm Kimberly called and asked if we could be there the day after.  She and Bev had gone to the cats and because the weather had been in the 20s and 30s.  All the cats had for shelter was a dog-loo on a hard floor so she had wanted to put a rug in for Freddy, but he wouldn’t have it, so she removed it.  They had been working in the freezing rain and she had contacted us as soon as she got in.

I called Jamie and let her know that Kimberly was taking Thursday off to be there and wanted our crew to be there before noon.  That meant our crew would have to leave first thing Wed. the morning of the 17th.  Jamie contacted Chris and Gale and let them know to pack their bags and bring their lunch.

Nov. 17: By 7am the Big Cat Rescuers were on their way to Cave In Rock, IL.  They took turns driving and sleeping and by 6pm they were in Nashville and getting sandwiches to eat on the road.  One tire didn’t look too good, but everything else was going fine and they hoped to be at the lodge by midnight.

Bev emailed me during the day asking when we would be coming.  It seems that neither Kimberly, nor Robin told her we were already on the way.  She said that she thought Freddy was much closer to death than previously thought.  She was worried that he wouldn’t make it another night.

During the course of the day I learned that Kathy Abell was not the first person to die at this facility.  Robin confided, “I first met Kathie and her husband Al sometime in the late 90?s when her place (a very small place, barely even a mom & pop operation) was called Cougar Bluff Enterprises. They had a wolf or two, some hybrids or two, a cougar or two, and (a bit later I think) one huge Barbary lion (just huge, every bit as big as a Siberian). I liked the cats, know how things were in Hardin County, and offered to work at their place doing anything they needed anytime I was back there (my parents live about 30 miles from there and I came back 2x/year). In all the years I knew them, no one before or since, has ever offered to volunteer for them.

Now…no doubt about it, at the time I first met them, their plan was to breed the wolves (not so much the cats, as I recall) and sell them. They pretty much saw this as a business.

However, also about the time I met them, they started going through a change of philosophy. Over a couple of years, they quickly learned how many neglected animals there are out there in that world, how badly they often get treated, and how so much of this terrible situation was fueled by the breeders. So….they dropped their plans and converted to the “non breeder” point of view. They never bred any animal.

Almost without exception, the cats they got were “throw away’s” or badly neglected animals that came from breeders or other mom & pop places. Sassy was one of those, and had been badly abused by it’s owner. The Barbary was also one of these. It’s a long story, but some butthead somewhere got hold of the lion with he was very young, kept it in the garage for about 3 weeks until the cat got big enough to eat people, and then they basically told Al & Kathie they would kill the lion if they didn’t take it from them. So, they did….and got just waaaay over their heads.

It was that lion, somewhere around 2003 (it was 2004) that ended up killing Al. It’s a long story and there’s some fine points that are still not known, but Al apparently went into the cage ALONE to do some cleaning, and apparently didn’t secure the outer perimeter lock. The cat maybe knocked thru a inner perimeter lock, bit Al just one on the leg, then strolled out of the compound. Again, long story, but Al bled out before anybody got there several hours later. Hardin County cops came and killed the lion, who by that time was waiting at the porch for Kathie to get home. Sad.

So….that’s kinda the story here. This thing did indeed start out as a “breeding” story, but they did totally convert their thinking many years before the sad recent events. In some respects, it’s a redemption story.”

These were the two news articles that ran about the death of Al Abell in 2004

Man killed by pet African lion

Associated Press  02/13/2004

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ill. (AP) — A Hardin County man who kept exotic animals was apparently attacked and killed Thursday by a pet African lion, authorities said.

Al Abell was apparently changing the bedding of the lion’s pen when he was attacked, Sheriff Carl Cox told The Paducah Sun.

According to Cox, Abell’s wife returned to the couple’s home near Elizabethtown in southeastern Illinois shortly before 6 p.m., saw the lion out of its pen and called the sheriff’s office. Deputies killed the lion and then discovered Abell lying nearby, according to the newspaper.

Abell was taken to Hardin County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:37 p.m., Coroner Roger Little said. An autopsy was scheduled for Friday, he said.

Cox said he visited the property about three years ago with state officials to make sure the Abells had the proper permits for the tigers, wolves and other exotic animals the couple kept on the property. He said he believed the lion that attacked Abell was a cub at the time of that visit.

Jeffrey Bonner, the president of the St. Louis Zoo, said Abell’s death illustrates just how dangerous wild animals can be.

“Even after centuries of breeding, you still can’t eradicate behavior that’s natural for them,” he said. “Lions hunt for their meat and kill it; it’s what they do. To think that an owner of any big cat, even after several years, can really domesticate them is, of course,  naive.”

Error with lion led to farmer’s death

By James Janega, Tribune staff reporter.

The two had raised Simba since he was a cub, and Al Abell must have felt comfortable around the almost full-grown male lion, Kathie Abell said.

Among the things the government oversees with animal exhibitors is how powerful animals like lions and other big cats are enclosed.

Big cats are expected to have two pens: A larger one with shelter in which to live and a smaller “shift pen” into which the animal can be moved while the larger enclosure is cleaned. The gate between the two must have a lock, and anyone who works around the animals must be trained in how to safely move the animals from one pen to the other. Typically, experts say, the maneuver is done by at least two people.

But on Feb. 12, 2004, Al Abell was alone when he moved the lion from its enclosure and into the shifting pen, and “did not lock [the] shift pen while cleaning shelter and surrounding area,” the animal care inspection report noted later.

“He never cleaned any large-field enclosure by himself till this tragic event occurred,” the report said.

Police reports, as well as interviews with Kathie Abell and southern Illinois law enforcement officials shortly after Al Abell died revealed the tense twilight standoff that day between nervous police officers and an agitated lion on the edge of Shawnee National Forest’s 277,000 acres.

It took a half-hour for police officers to fly up the gravel road to the farm after Kathie Abell’s call.

In that time, a frantic Kathie Abell had found a tranquilizer gun, but not the darts.
When Hardin County sheriff’s deputies arrived, she knew her dog had been killed, but couldn’t find her husband.

The Abells’ menagerie of wildcats, lorded over by a limping 8-year-old cougar named Freddy, paced and cowered in their pens. The wolves and several huskies cried from cages at the tree line below.

Standing in the Abells’ fenced yard with his back to Freddy’s cage, Hardin County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Reed aimed an AK-47 at Simba.

Deputy Chad Vinyard and Cave In Rock Police Officers Mike and Terry Dutton ran up behind him, Vinyard on a radio to the county’s chief deputy, Bill Stark, asking for ideas.

Stark was speeding in a car with Sheriff Carl Cox, who said he and Stark peered into the failing February light at the dense forest rushing past their car and made a decision.

“We didn’t want the animal loose,” Cox said.

Stark told them that if they had a clear shot, to take it. “Just make it a kill shot,” he told them over the radio.
The police officers turned to Abell. Fifteen years of raising big cats came to a single tearful nod. Vinyard counted to three.

At the first volley, Simba jumped 10 feet, two wounds in his head. Slinking toward a shed, the lion was hit again by Dutton and Reed. Officers came to within a few paces as the lion finally collapsed, and two more shots rang out. Simba stopped breathing.

Vinyard’s voice crackled over the radio.

“The lion’s down,” he said.

That was when Kathie Abell found her husband, noted Reed and Dutton. “We heard Kathie Abell screaming approximately 50 yards away,” Dutton wrote.

Paramedics tried CPR, then evacuated Al Abell by air without ever hearing a sound from his lungs. His skin was cold, dry and pale. The coroner determined he had died in minutes, his life pouring out the bite wound in his left thigh.

Kathie Abell gave the lion’s carcass to zoology students at Southern Illinois University, where the heaping, frozen body was thawed and dissected two months later.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-10-14/news/0510140304_1_big-cats-exotic-animals-wolves/2

Deadly Lion Attack

HARDIN CO., IL — Authorities say an Illinois man who kept exotic animals was attacked and killed Thursday by a pet African lion.

Sheriff Carl Cox says Al Abell was apparently changing the bedding of thelion’s pen when he was attacked. Cox says Abell’s wife returned to the couple’s home near Elizabethtown in southeastern Illinois, shortly before 6 p-m. She saw the lion out of its pen and called the sheriff’s office.

Deputies killed the lion and then discovered Abell lying nearby. Coroner Roger Little says he was taken to Hardin County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:37 p.m.

An autopsy is scheduled for today. Jeffrey Bonner, the president of the St. Louis Zoo, says Abell’s death illustrates just how dangerous wild animals can be.

http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=1644398&pass=1

Nov. 17: 8:45pm Big Cat Rescuers arrive at the Cave In Rock Lodge.  It is a tiny, yet historic lodge nestled in the Shawnee National Park.  Cave In Rock Park is named for the 55-foot-wide cave that was carved out of the limestone rock by water thousands of years ago. Following the Revolutionary War, this immense recess came to serve as the ideal lair for outlaws, bandits and river pirates who preyed on the people traveling along the Ohio River.One of the most ambitious of these ruthless malefactors was Samuel Mason. Once an officer in George Washington’s Revolutionary Army, in 1797 he converted the cavern into a tavern which he called the Cave-In-Rock.  From this apparently innocent and inviting position, Mason would dispatch his cohorts upriver to befriend unwary and bewildered travelers with offers of help and guidance. As they neared the cave, these henchmen would disable their boats or force them toward the yawning hollow, where the hapless pilgrims would be robbed, or worse. Few victims lived to tell their story.

By the early 1800s, following the demise of the Mason Gang, the cave sheltered the even more notorious Harpe Brothers, a pair of killers fleeing execution in Kentucky. They continued their personal reign of thievery and murder in Illinois, using the cave as hideout and headquarters until they too were killed.

It’s interesting to note that the cave served as a backdrop for a scene in the movie “How The West Was Won.” The scene was a near-accurate portrayal of how, in the 18th and 19th centuries, ruthless bandits used the cave to lure unsuspecting travelers to an untimely end.

Although other desperadoes continued to take advantage of the secrecy and seclusion afforded by Cave-In-Rock, by the mid-1830s the quickening westward expansion of civilization and the steady growth in the local population and commerce had destroyed or driven out the “river rats” and the cave began to serve as temporary shelter for other pioneers on their way west.

Nov. 19: 3:52 am the Big Cat Rescue team and Freddy and Sassy the cougars arrived at Big Cat Rescue, but it was too dark to safely let them out, so everyone slept for a couple of hours and waited for dawn.

6:30 am The staff, volunteer committe and board were invited to see the release, but it had been sent out so late that only Chelsea, Howard and I came to watch Jamie, Gale, Chris & Chelsea release Freddy and Sassy into their new, spacious, lakeside homes.  Video will be coming soon; once Chris has some time to sleep, get married, renew his driver’s license and piece together the footage and interviews.  Meanwhile, a picture (or two) is worth a thousand words.

6:30 pm Jamie hand fed Freddy and Sassy from a stick tonight to get a good look at their teeth and to begin a bonding process with them.  Our main diet is a prepared ground diet of muscle meat, organs, bones and vitamins but it will be a gradual process to move these cats to the healthier fare.  She gave them a few balls on the end of the stick and they weren’t crazy about it.  They each ate a chicken leg quarter, a plate of necks, and several chunks of beef.  Jamie said they would have eaten more, but she didn’t want to overload their systems, so she left some more of the ground diet, so that they wouldn’t go to bed hungry.  The ground diet comes in three fat content levels, so we may try them on the higher content to get them liking it and then scale back once they are in good condition again.  Both cats have been very calm and acting like they have known us forever, so all is well tonight at Big Cat Rescue.

Big Cat Rescue is an educational sanctuary and a home for more than 100 big cats  12802 Easy St. Tampa, FL 33625 813.920.4130

Sassyfrass Vet Visit 2014

Sassyfrass the cougar didn’t come out to eat last night, so we knew something was up and set an appointment to see the vet.

Sassyfrass the cougar has failing kidneys, and is incontinent, so he pees on himself in his sleep and then lays in it.

He is old and arthritic, so he can’t groom himself any more and his fur gets matted.

We have to shave him once a year so we decide to do it while he is at the vet’s office under sedation.

Volunteers load up Sassyfrass the cougar and take him into our on site cat hospital to await transfer to the van.

He will be weighed so we know how much sedation to give at the vet’s office.  He weighs 134 lbs.

We will check his blood again to see how much his kidney failure has progressed.

His transport cage is supported by long poles so the keepers don’t get their hands near him.

Every time we go to the vet we try to choose an Intern or Volunteer to go with us for their education.

Gale put Michael to work, helping her shave Sassyfrass while the vet and vet techs did their work up on him.

Sassyfrass’ breath would knock you over, and they thought there must be bad teeth, but after cleaning and X-rays, they saw that none needed to be pulled.

Sassyfrass does have one eye with blood in the chamber, so he is being treated for that and he had ulcerations on his tongue; but no obvious cause.  The rest of his blood work was sent out for further testing.

JOSEPH

Lion

DOB 8/19/98

Rescued 10/21/07

Joseph the lion was rescued along with several other lions and tigers who had been bred to be used as photo and ego props.

Sponsor Joseph http://www.bigcatrescue.biz/servlet/the-1001/Lion-Sponsorship/Detail

What do you do when a lion needs a vet?

Call in a team of experts for a lion size house call.

Keepers reported that Joseph the lion wasn’t eating and was wobbling when he walked.

It was a Sunday afternoon and there is no place nearby that we could take a lion for X-rays.

Dr. Justin Boorstein and his friend, Dr. Tim Jones sedated Joseph lion to draw blood and do a physical exam.

Jamie’s home made, lion size gas mask enabled the transition from drugs to gas.

Interns held the Y-stick on Joseph, in case he woke suddenly and pumped fluids into Joseph as he slept.

Dr. Justin Boorstein listened to the lion’s breathing and heart beat as Dr. Tim Jones kept an eye on the anesthesia.

Every intern had their job, from protecting the vets to logging each drug, each change in vitals and giving fluids.

That is a lion size heart monitoring cuff!

Dr. Fay Herrero, from Odessa Equine Clinic brought out his portable X-ray machine to make sure there were no broken bones.

Dr. Fay Herrero had been making house calls all day for horses, but this way probably his only lion call of the day.

The portable X-ray was not powerful enough to penetrate Joseph’s abdomen.

We tried to find a vet with a portable sonogram machine, as well, but had no such luck.

Dr. Justin, Cody and Michael lift Joseph so the X-ray pad can be positioned under the sleeping lion.

Dr. Fay Herrero will be on speed dial until our own X-ray machine is up and running.

Despite all of the diagnostics, we still do not know what is causing Joseph to feel bad.

Hopefully his blood work, which usually takes a few days, will let us know how to proceed.

When Dr. Herrero left he said, “You have an wonderful group of people here!”

A Lion Pride of a Different Stripe

It took the combined efforts of USDA, undercover agents and concerned citizens seven years to shut down Diana McCourt (aka Cziraky) and her Siberian Tiger Foundation. It wasn’t until her landlords, Donnalynn and Christian Laver were able to evict her from the property that Knox County was able to seize the six cats who had been used for years as props in Diana McCourt’s “tiger training” scheme.

By the end of the ordeal eye witnesses said that the cats were starving and they still have inadequate shelter from the elements.

Even though McCourt lost her USDA license to operate the tiger-tamer camp in 2000, and permanently in 2006, she still continued to charge people to come into her back yard in Gambier, OH and pet the adult lions and tigers.

The cats would often be chained down so that people could touch them or have their photos made with the cats.

To make the cats more pliable McCourt had their teeth and claws removed. (Joseph still has his canine teeth) Despite the abusive violations to their bodies and mobility, the USDA investigation included eight allegations of attacks on visitors in an 8 month period.

Most cases that 6 years or more to prosecute so animals suffer most or all of their lives waiting for help to arrive.  The only way to put an end to the suffering is to end the private possession of big cats and eliminate the USDA loophole that allows people to keep big cats if they have a $40 USDA license.  It is too easy to get and too hard to lose to provide any sort of enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act.

In May of 2007 Diana McCourt emailed Carole Baskin asking if she could move her operation to Tampa and bring her cats to Big Cat Rescue.  Our response was that her cats were welcome here but her brand of animal abuse was not.  By August McCourt had been evicted and Knox County was awarded custody of the four tigers and two lions.  Dean Vickers, the State Director for the Ohio branch of the HSUS contacted Big Cat Rescue and asked if we could take the cats, but six more big cats increases our annual budget by $45,000.00.

When Sarabi, our lioness died, her half acre enclosure was opened up so that Nikita our only other lioness could have the run of both half acre enclosures.  This large enclosure has an open roof and is only suitable for lions because they don’t climb, or very old, declawed tigers, who would be unable to climb.  Taking on two lions, age 9 and 13, who have a 20 year life expectancy means a cost of $15,000.00 annually and $150,000.00 in the long run.  Lions often end up in canned hunts, especially males who are coveted as wall trophies, so we felt certain our donors would help us rescue these two cats.  Our board convened and agreed that the lions would be rescued as soon as we could make travel arrangements for them.

Calling with the good news, that at least the lions would be spared, we were told by the landlord, who has been caring for the cats since evicting Diana McCourt, that the male tiger, Nikita, would be heartbroken that his best friend in the world, Joseph the lion, would be leaving.  As the conversation unfolded it appears that for the last 13 years, two tigers and two lions have shared a cage.  (Joseph only coming along in the past 9 yrs)  Instead of being elated for the lions, we now felt sick that they would be separated from the only pride (albeit tigers) they had ever known.  And thinking about how they would feel, of course, led to thinking about how the tigers left behind would feel.

We appealed to our supporters, asking if they would be willing to help us rescue all four cats who have lived together and the response was an overwhelming, “YES!”

On Oct. 19th Big Cat Rescue’s President Jamie Veronica, VP Cathy Neumann, Operations Manager Scott Lope and Veterinarian Dr. Liz Wynn, DVM flew to Columbus, OH to rendezvous with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) staff and a driver and vet tech from the Animal Sanctuary of the United States (ASUS) at the Columbus Zoo at 6 am on the morning of the 20th.  From there the entourage drove an hour to the Gambier, OH facility and met with the property owner and the Knox County Animal Control Officer, Rich Reed who had been granted possession of the six cats.

Within just a few hours all of the cats were safely loaded and on the way to Florida where they arrived at 6 am the morning of the 21st.  While the weary drivers slept, the Big Cat Rescue team unloaded Nikita, Simba, Sasha and Joseph into their new enclosure, which is a little more than half an acre of lakeside living with high grass, cave like dens and hills from which they can survey their new kingdom.

We let you know that the rescue would cost us $34,000.00* and 294 of you responded.  As of 11/16/07 $29,435.00 has been raised to save these four cats. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) agreed to help rescue the last two cats and IFAW paid to transport all six cats to their final destinations. That saved us $4,000.00! We are now only $565.00 short of what this rescue will cost us in the first year. Thank you everyone who has helped so far!  If you haven’t helped yet, keep in mind that your donations are tax deductible and that these cats rely entirely on your generosity.

See slideshow of photos taken 9/26/07 in Ohio: Siberian Tiger Foundation

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) agreed to help rescue and place the last two cats, Sierra and Ekaterina who are now at Wildcat Sanctuary.

Sierra the white tigress	Ekaterina the tigress

Should there be any surplus in the donations made to this rescue they will be used for the continued care of the cats.

More Info About and Photos of Joseph

Do lions cough up hairballs? Check out this specimen from Joseph: http://bigcatrescue.org/category/the-sanctuary-cats/lions-the-sanctuary-cats/page/7/

Scroll down this link to see a video of Joseph eating his much loved vanilla ice cream: http://bigcatrescue.org/cat-chat-show-notes-june-19-2013/

Tigers, Lions, Leopards, all cat species can catch fleas, so at Big Cat Rescue we have to treat all of our 100+ residents with flea prevention just like your domestic cat at home every single month!: http://bigcatrescue.org/how-to-flea-treat-100-big-cats/

Happy Caturday Photos: http://bigcatrescue.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=9117&action=edit

Kids’ freebies featuring the lions of Big Cat Rescue: http://bigcatrescue.org/march-lions-kids/

Check out Joseph the lion doing some “gardening” in his enclosure: http://bigcatrescue.org/lion-gardening/

Despite all the commotion today, Joseph the Lion just couldn’t care less. (scroll down to find the photo): http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-dec-28-lion-display-at-mgm-to-close/

Joseph the Lion Before and After: http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-may-11-ohio-legislative-update/

Download a free iBook or PDF, “The Lions of Big Cat Rescue”: http://bigcatrescue.org/books/

Scroll down this link to find a photo of Joseph entitled “Joseph the Lion makes his mark on Big Cat Rescue”: http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-apr-12-2/

Funny captioned photo of Joseph: http://bigcatrescue.org/joseph-the-original-grumpy-cat/

Photo entitled, “Joseph the lion is one of our best singers”: http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-jan-26/

See and Hear Cameron and Joseph lions roaring: http://bigcatrescue.org/lion-roar-video-2006/

Come along with Carole Baskin using Google Glass while catching a bobcat, caring for an elderly tiger, shaving a bobcat, watching staff building the “Bobcat Tower of Terror,” talking with Simba Leopard on vacation, catching and sending Sabre Leopard out on his first vacation, checking in on the feisty little Cypress bobcat, a sneak peek at Genie the sandcat, Joseph lion taking a long, cool drink and more: http://bigcatrescue.org/cat-chat-45/

A page with a few videos about Joseph’s Rescue: http://bigcatrescue.org/lion-and-tiger-rescue-from-siberian-tiger-foundation/

A photo of Joseph waiting on another treat: http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-oct-2-2012/

Photo of Intern Heather drawing Joseph and Sasha lions: http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-sept-8-come-see-the-tigers/

Lion Facts: http://bigcatrescue.org/lion-facts/

Photo entitled, “Joseph and Sasha the lions are all sleepy eyed”: http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-july-11/

Find a photo of Joseph and Sasha the lions on a lazy afternoon: http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-oct-10/

Watch as we let Joseph and his pride of another lion and two tigers into their new large enclosure: http://bigcatrescue.org/josephs-pride-lion-tigers-new-beginning/

Joseph’s Pride are two lions and two tigers that were rescued from a facility in Columbus, Ohio on October 19th, 2007: http://bigcatrescue.org/lions-tigers-josephs-pride-update/

A lion of a different stripe: http://bigcatrescue.org/a-lion-pride-of-a-different-stripe/

Chardonnay featuring Joseph the lion: http://bigcatrescue.org/advocat-2012-05-happy-mothers-day/

NARLA

Female Cougar

DOB 1/1/97

Rescued 1/8/2010

Rescue of Narla the Cougar:

This is a letter from someone who knew the Loppi’s.  This person below, wanted us to know that Rob was well intended and I post it here as an example of how even the best intentions usually end up bad for the exotic animal.

According to a number of emails I got after the fact, Rob’s wife was looking to euthanize the cat, but Rob’s friends, family and the media were on her case and she couldn’t  do it without looking like a monster when we were standing by, ready to take her. It is only because of supporters, like you, that we can help cats like Narla in their greatest moment of need.

Sponsor Narla http://www.bigcatrescue.biz/servlet/the-998/Cougar-Sponsorship/Detail 

Eye Specialist Sees Narla Cougar

Narla has been pretty much blind since she arrived, but Dr. Miller came out to check on her eyes again today.

Dr. Liz Wynn has many friends in the veterinary community and calls in specialists when it is warranted.

Previous exams have shown Narla Cougar to have eye ulcerations that have been treated with eye drops.

This exam reveals that the back side of her eyes are degenerating and Dr. Miller suspects it was from her first 14 years of insufficient nutrition before coming to Big Cat Rescue.

Dr. Tammy Miller says Narla is one of her favorite patients.

When big cats are pulled from their mothers to be hand reared as pets, like Narla had been, they never get a sufficient diet on kitten or puppy milk replacer. This causes a life time of debilitation.

More from Narla’s Rescue:

Dear Big Cat Rescue:

I am very happy that you are giving Narla a new home. Since her owner, Rob Loppi’s, death last May, I can’t tell you how many people worried and wondered what would become of Narla.  My reason for writing to you is not just to thank you for taking care of Narla, but because I wanted to give you some background information.  I feel it is important for you to know how Narla came to Rhode Island in the first place.  Since the story of Narla’s rescue broke, I have read and heard many negative comments about Rob Loppi having this animal in the first place. There have been many comments in the newspapers that are just not accurate. Since Rob is no longer with us, and can’t defend himself, I would like the real story known. He didn’t just wake up one morning and decide on a whim that it would be great to have a cougar.  I was there, and would like the true story to be told.

Rob got Narla when she was a baby, not 5 months old as was inaccurately reported.  She was no bigger than a puppy, still had her baby fuzz and spots and was still being bottle fed.  She was obtained by a person that Rob knew casually.  This friend purchased her from a breeder in Virginia, thinking that it would be cool to have a mountain lion as a pet.  When he got her home, his fiancé, correctly, would not allow him to keep her, so he brought her to Rob. People were always bringing unwanted animals to Rob…cats, dogs, goats, pigs…whatever.

Initially, Rob did not want to take her, but he was afraid that if he refused she would end up in a bad situation.  Rob took her in and set about trying to find her a home.  Since she was an illegal exotic at that point, this was not an easy task.  He contacted the Dept. of Environmental Management in RI anonymously and was informed that they would confiscate the cat and most likely she would be destroyed – unbelievable, but true.  They said that it was not their policy to find homes for dangerous animals, just to protect the environment and maintain public safety.  He then contacted Roger Williams Zoo and asked them to take her – they refused because a). they do not take animals from private parties, only other zoos, and b). she came from a breeder and was bottle fed.  They said that other cats would not take to her and would possibly harm or kill her.  After many more such calls…you get the picture.  No one would help.  You should also keep in mind that this time period was before the internet was a household item, so trying to get information was much more difficult.

Feeling like he had no other options, he contacted the breeder in Virginia and asked to bring her back.  He drove her to Virginia and was appalled at the conditions.  Virginia’s laws on exotics are (or, at that time, were) very lenient and this guy would obviously sell to anyone as long as the price was right.  He just couldn’t leave her there.  He knew that she would be re-sold and probably end up in a traveling carnival or roadside “zoo” with her teeth filed down, being whipped into submission, living in deplorable conditions and spending most of her life in a crate.  He knew that he could do better by her, so he made the decision that he would have to keep her to make sure that she was cared for and safe.  Unfortunately, this would mean having her declawed for safety.  This wasn’t something he wanted to do, but he did it in an effort to try to maintain her.

He then set about getting Narla legal.  Since he already knew DEM’s position, he went to the Federal level.  USDA told him what he needed to do in order to get a license to keep an exotic (again, at that time, their rules were much less stringent).  He built the double cage (making it bigger and stronger than the required size and pipe diameter) with natural materials and different levels and perches for climbing, set up an account with a chicken farm so he could feed her properly, contacted a veterinarian who had the qualifications to provide medical care for Narla and set about learning everything he needed to know about the care and husbandry of mountain lions.  USDA inspected and found him to be a suitable owner and he was granted a license.  Once he had the USDA license in hand, DEM could not confiscate and destroy her, so he was then able to begin application for a RI license.  He hired an attorney and, after getting through all the paperwork and red tape, he received the license. RI DEM inspected regularly, including random and surprise visits, always finding Narla in good care and condition.

Rob NEVER tried to domesticate Narla.  He was very well aware that she was a wild animal.  While he did have an amazing connection with her, she was always treated as a mountain lion, not as a house cat, which has been implied in the media.  Narla has been characterized as “gentle and affectionate” and she was…with Rob.  This, as you know, is the case with big cats…they bond to one person and can be jealous and aggressive with others.  Visitors and friends were not allowed to just hang out in the living room with her.  She didn’t just wander freely around the house or yard.  Even Rob’s closest friends were not allowed direct contact.  This wasn’t Siegfried and Roy.  She is a predator and certainly capable of attacking and killing.  He knew that, and safety was always the first priority, not just our safety, but Narla’s too. People can be foolish and cruel, which is why Rob didn’t want the general public to know about her.  That was another reason for the double cage, not just to keep Narla in, but to keep people out.  There was only one other person, Rob’s friend Mike, who was allowed to care for Narla and did so during Rob’s illness.  Mike was trained in Narla’s care and feeding and did a great job.  Rob was so grateful to Mike.  With all he was going through, many rounds of chemotherapy treatments, numerous infections and finally a bone marrow transplant, at least he knew Narla was in good hands.

Rob didn’t use Narla as a gimmick or sideshow attraction.  Sure, people knew about her and would be curious to see her, but he never profited from her.  He allowed “ordinary” people to come to see her in her cage, but never allowed media attention.  He wouldn’t give interviews, allow media photos or any exploitation of her in any way.  He didn’t want to glorify having a big cat in his yard.  He didn’t want people to think that it is ok to try to keep a mountain lion as a pet.  Rob knew that keeping her was not an ideal situation, but at that time, he felt he was doing what was best for her.  When he made the decision to keep Narla, he took on a huge financial burden…food, supplements, veterinary care, etc. and he could have very easily used this beautiful animal as a way to make money, but that was never his way.  He just wanted to give her the best life he could and keep her safe.

So, now you know Narla’s story.  I felt that it was important for you to know that, while she may have been raised in someone’s backyard, she wasn’t just a passing fancy, she wasn’t a “pet“ in the conventional sense of the word.  She was a lifelong responsibility taken on by a guy who made a hard decision based on limited options.  Had she not been born to a breeder in Virginia who sells these animals to anyone with enough money to buy them, without any thought or concern for where they will live or how they will be treated, she would not have been in Rhode Island.  If Rob hadn’t “rescued” her first, Big Cat Rescue may have found Narla in a horrible situation, if she had survived at all.

Thank you again for all that you do for these animals and, especially for Narla.  She is always loved and surely missed.

Sincerely,

Julie A. Aldrich

Frozen panther found in Loxahatchee home baffles law enforcement

One dead panther was buried in a garage freezer. Another was stuffed and mounted on a wall.

The Oct. 16 discovery baffled law enforcement officers who were called to the 30-acre property in Loxahatchee that morning over a landlord-tenant dispute, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Offices.

The deputy who answered that call found himself staring into the eyes of a frozen panther that reportedly had been shot. At first, he thought it was a lion. Then a tiger. Officers later realized that the animal — buried under a pile of mangoes and two frozen birds — was a panther.

Gene Stimmler, 73, told authorities he didn’t know how his pet panther died, but that he was saving its carcass to make a rug. A former employee and tenant of his, who originally called authorities, said Stimmler shot it.

How the panthers died remains a mystery, yet one that state wildlife officials said they are not investigating. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission does not investigate the deaths of non-native captive wildlife, a spokeswoman said.

It’s unclear if the panthers, part of the cougar family, were endangered Florida panthers or a similar species that is less regulated. Stimmler has no current state permit to own a cougar as a pet.

In the past, he had a state permit for two pet cougars. He told investigators the frozen cat died about nine months ago and the stuffed one died long before.

In a telephone interview Tuesday, Stimmler said he’s owned about nine panthers over the years, and all were purchased legally. He said they probably were Florida panthers, but would not say where he bought them.

The Florida panther is a federally protected endangered species that cannot be sold or owned as a pet, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Only 100 to 160 adults are believed to exist in the wild, mostly in South Florida.

The agency was unable to provide information about the Loxahatchee case Tuesday.

For his part, Stimmler defended his actions, calling the incident “ridiculous.”

“This has been hell,” he said. “I’ve had my name dragged through the mud.”

Stimmler’s property on D Road has been home to a menagerie of exotic animals, including lemurs, a monkey and dozens of exotic birds. He runs a landscaping company and plant nursery from his home.

It was a disgruntled former employee who last month tipped off police about the dead cat, according to the Sheriff’s Office report.

Joseph Valenzuela, 48, who lived in a trailer on Stimmler’s property, said he had been working for Stimmler for several weeks and was owed more than $600, the report said. Stimmler denied hiring Valenzuela to do any work for him.

The deputy arrived and advised Valenzuela to find a lawyer to dispute the owed wages, the report said. Before the deputy left, Valenzuela showed him the freezer where the dead panther was buried.

It was frozen “in a live state, eyes open,” the deputy wrote in an incident report.

He called state wildlife officers and county animal control.

Wildlife investigators photographed the dead panther. Stimmler denied having shot it.

But because there were no obvious signs of abuse, the officer did not check to see if the cougar was shot, FWC spokeswoman Katie Purcell said. The follow-up inspection at Stimmler’s home was completed last week, with no major violations reported.

Valenzuela, who has since moved off Stimmler’s property, said Stimmler often drowned unwanted pets and trapped animals from the wild. He said the cougar was missing one day and Stimmler said he had someone shoot it because it bit him in the leg.

“I know he was lying because there’s no bite mark,” Valenzuela said Tuesday. “I have no idea why he shot it.”

In May 2010, state wildlife inspectors warned Stimmler that his panther looked thin and that its water was dirty. That panther was kept in a chain-link cage outside his home. The animal looked ill, but not because of old age. It appeared to be 3 to 4 years old, the inspector wrote in the report.

“The panther’s hip bones were showing, indicating poor diet or parasites,” the FWC inspector wrote.

Cages for his lemurs and a marmoset monkey were too small, and his captive-wildlife permit had expired, the report said. Stimmler was given a warning to fix the problems and he promised he would.

But the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission did not follow up in the following months to ensure the changes were made. The agency only is required to inspect the homes of captive wildlife owners every two years, Purcell said.

Staff writer David Fleshler and staff researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report.

apcampbell@tribune.com or 561-243-6609

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/fl-loxahatchee-freezer-panther-20111108,0,568119.story

Why do so many abusers keep big cats in their freezers?

Tiger Rescue Colton, CA (2002 10 tigers were seized and in 2003 13 young tigers were confiscated and 58 cubs found in the freezer) You gotta wonder, “Why?” http://www.savethetigers.com/

When Joe Schreibvogel was found to have had 23 tiger cubs die in 2010, you have to ask yourself, “How did the USDA figure that out?” Unless there were cubs in the freezer there isn’t any reporting that would have revealed that and to our knowledge there was no employee or volunteer who turned him in. Since it is still an open investigation (we checked Nov 2011) we don’t have all the facts, but I am betting that there were cubs in the freezer.

http://911animalabuse.com/gw-exotics-animal-foundation/

When “Wild Bill” in Homasassa, FL died his wife was later found to have a tiger in her freezer. She said she was cutting them up and feeding them to her living tigers, who were then confiscated, but why did she have tigers in the freezer to begin with? Tigers run 300-500 lbs and take up a lot of space so it would be very expensive to keep them frozen unless they were being kept for some lucrative purpose.

http://911animalabuse.com/wild-bills-sanctuary/

When a man in NY was found to have been chaining his wife to a wall and abusing big cats in his basement the authorities found dead exotic cats in the freezer.

http://911animalabuse.com/barone-anthony/

Pat and Robert Engessor of The Zoo were cited for a dead tiger cub was found in the freezer, having died of an unknown (“probably infectious”) respiratory illness.

http://911animalabuse.com/the-zoo/

When a cat dies at Big Cat Rescue we do a necropsy to find out why and the cat may be kept in a hospital freezer briefly until we have the cat cremated by a company called Honor Thy Pet, but it cannot be kept in the food freezers (USDA regs) and usually isn’t kept on site for more than a few days or weeks at most. Most other facilities do not do necropsy reports (autopsy) and they just claim to bury their dead as cremation for a 500lb cat is really expensive, so why do they have big cats in their freezers?

A six year USFWS investigation called Operation Snow Plow revealed that these privately owned big cats were ending up in slaughterhouses and being killed for their parts.  Most of the people who were caught in that investigation are right back  in business.

NIRVANA

Female Ocelot

DOB 6/20/94

Rescued 7/24/94

Nirvana came to Big Cat Rescue from a broker on 7/27/94. He had left her at the vet’s office for dead because she was so dehydrated. Ocelots were once in great demand as pets thanks to their striking coats and small size. However, as with most exotic cats, their unpredictable nature and propensity for spraying soon changes people’s minds.

Many of these once beloved pets end up abandoned, sold to canned hunts or ultimately euthanized. Nirvana was rescued and raised at Big Cat Rescue where she now passes the time climbing trees, catnapping in her man-made cave and spraying the unsuspecting passersby. Nirvana also participates in the operant training program and is one of the specially selected cats that BCR Interns work with each week.

Sponsor Nirvana http://www.bigcatrescue.biz/servlet/the-1004/Ocelot-Sponsorship/Detail

 More About Nirvana

** Today at Big Cat Rescue, October 16th are two photos of Nirvana as well as photos of other cats here. http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-oct-16/

** Today at Big Cat Rescue, November 5th are a couple photos of nosey Nirvana checking out a coffee cup as well as photo of other cats here.  http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-nov-5/

**  Stealing images become harder… Thankfully.   Someone asked us on Facebook what kind of cat this was; we knew it was an altered photo of Nirvana our ocelot. See the altered image and the original image and learn how to find your photos through Google.  http://bigcatrescue.org/now-big-cat-rescue-march-30-2014/

**  Today at Big Cat Rescue, January 25th See a photo of Nirvana on her ramp.  There are also photos of feeding cats on this page.  http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-jan-25/

** Today at Big Cat Rescue, September 8th.  See a photo of Nirvana that looks like an Elvis impersonation pose.  There are also some fun photos of other cats and volunteers doing what they do. http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-sept-8/

** Walkabout Video from May 3rd, 2014 has a little footage of Nirvana and Amazing grace. http://bigcatrescue.org/now-big-cat-rescue-may-3-2014/

** Walkabout Video of October 21, 2013 also has a little footage of Nirvana. http://bigcatrescue.org/today-big-cat-rescue-oct-21-2013/

** (about ocelots in general) 5 Defendants Illegally Sold and Purchased Ocelots and Lied To Cover Up The Sales http://bigcatrescue.org/operation-cat-tale-exposes-illegal-sales-ocelots-calling-donation/

** Nirvana is mentioned in the Keeper Walkabout (January 2009) as are many of the other cats. http://bigcatrescue.org/keeper-walkabout-at-big-cat-rescue-jan-2009/

** Nirvana is in the quarterly newsletter, “The Big Cat Times” Nirvana the ocelot had a swollen cheek. Turns out she had a few bad teeth. She was taken to Ehrlich. Animal Hospital where volunteer vet. Dr. Wynn extracted … http://bigcatrescue.org/000news/Advocat/2011-1.pdf

** On this page find out about ear rings that have photos of Raindance or Nirvana on them. http://bigcatrescue.org/cat-chat-show-notes-july-31-2013/

** Nirvana was mentioned and photoed in a magazine article http://bigcatrescue.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/CEOMagazineCaroleBaskinShesATiger.pdf

**  Nirvana made “The Big Cat Times” in 2011.  Nirvana was moved to a different enclosure. Since her previous home was in a location that did not lend itself to expansion it was connected to the Crazy Bobs … http://bigcatrescue.org/000news/Advocat/2011-2.pdf

Thurston AKA Mr. Howell

Male bobcat

Appx. 1/1/2008

Rescued 5/5/13

Mr. Howell is approximately five years old and was Lovey’s mate. He is declawed on all four paws and his left ear is folded over most likely the result of a past injury.

The two of them shared a cramped cage about 5’x13′. Their only shelter was a small plastic dog house that they managed to cram themselves into to escape the cold weather. The also had a tiny child’s play table to perch on.

Mr. Howell was not neutered and it is most likely that Lovey has not been spayed as their previous owner was a breeder. So the two of them were separated upon their arrival at Big Cat Rescue until they could be neutered and spayed.

Mr. Howell has a strange coat pattern and coloring, and had almost no fur on arrival, so it was believed that he may be some sort of bobcat wildcat hybrid, but now that he is healthy and fully furred he looks like a pure bobcat.

Mr. Howell loves his large rock cave and spends most of his time on top of this mountain observing his surroundings. Mr. Howell also loves spice bag enrichment! Big Cat Rescuers were in awe to see his reaction to the first enrichment he has probably ever received. Mr. Howell rolled around on the ground, rubbing his face on the bag, and pawing at the fun new toy.

Sponsor Mr Howell/Thurston http://www.bigcatrescue.biz/servlet/the-995/Bobcat-Sponsorship/Detail

Read more about the rescue and see photos and videos http://bigcatrescue.org/most-daring-rescue-ever/

See More About Thurston, AKA Mr. Howell

Thurston and Lovey Bobcats cuddle up in their tree house in this Wildcat Walkabout Video on May 1, 2014 – http://bigcatrescue.org/now-big-cat-rescue-may-2-2014/

Big Cat Rescue Wants to be the Only Big Cat Sanctuary

That is the lie that animal abusers tell everyone to try and change the subject from protecting exotic cats to a message of mere competition.

They trot out their modified version of our 20 year plan to back up their ridiculous claims, but they leave out the most important part of the plan, which is that there no longer be big cats suffering in captivity, and thus no longer a need for sanctuaries, including Big Cat Rescue’s sanctuary.

As the public becomes better educated about why it is so wrong to breed wild cats for life in cages, they will cease to support industries that breed them as pay to play props, for circuses and other abusive purposes.  There will temporarily be an increased need for real sanctuaries, which are those who meet the following standards.

1.  Real sanctuaries do not breed exotic cats for life in cages.

2.  Real sanctuaries do not buy wild cats.

3.  Real sanctuaries do not sell their wildlife.

4.  Real sanctuaries do not let the public, nor their staff or volunteers handle the big cats, other than for veterinary purposes.

5.  Real sanctuaries do not endanger the public and the big cats by taking them off site for exhibition.

Big Cat Rescue LOVES real sanctuaries and helps them by:

1.  Providing guidance on best practices to help the sanctuary qualify for and obtain accreditation through the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.

2. Hosting workshops and conferences for those who want to do the right thing for wild animals.

3.  Training volunteers and international interns in understanding that each animal is an individual who is to be respected and treated with dignity.

4.  Sending work groups of our own volunteers out to help after disasters and when other sanctuaries are short handed.

5.  Sharing the secrets of our success with those who demonstrate clearly that they are putting the animals first.

Those who exploit wild animals for their own gain hate us because they don’t want the public to know that:

1.  There is no reason to breed big cats in cages, as none of them in private hands can ever be set free.

2.  There is no captive breeding program that benefits conservation, other than AZA administered SSP programs.

3.  Paying to play with a cub or see one on display actually harms conservation efforts.

4.  Tigers could disappear from the wild because of the smoke screen caused by their legal breeding of generic tigers.

5.  A ban on private possession is the first step toward saving tigers in the wild.

Exploiters claim that if the Big Cats & Public Safety Act were to pass that they would be put out of business and wouldn’t be able to help “rescue” lions, tigers, leopards, ligers and other exotic cats, but that isn’t true.  Big Cat Rescue is one of the most successful sanctuaries in the world and we do it by being open, honest and treating the cats with kindness and respect.  We want sanctuaries to thrive, and they can do that if they employ the same attitudes and behaviors that we have in being a real sanctuary.

Any real sanctuary, who is doing their work for the animals and not their own sense of satisfaction, will share our goal of a world where all wild cats live free.

NIKITA

Male Siberian Tiger

DOB 8/20/95

Rescued 10/21/07

Nik, short for Nikita, is a very large tiger comparable in size to the massive Shere Khan. He is very shy and spends most of his time napping by the lake.

When Nik first arrived, he was very elusive and would often hide in his den when keepers approached his enclosure. Gradually he became more and more curious about the new people in his life and would peer out the doorway to the den and watch everyone very closely.

He has now warmed up a great deal and is even on the Feeding Tour because he is so friendly to guests.

Read about Nikita the tiger’s eye surgery:  http://bigcatrescue.org/today-at-big-cat-rescue-july-15/

Sponsor Nikita http://www.bigcatrescue.biz/servlet/the-994/Tiger-Sponsorship-Kit/Detail

Siberian Tiger Foundation Rescue

It took the combined efforts of USDA, undercover agents and concerned citizens seven years to shut down Diana McCourt and the Siberian Tiger Foundation. It wasn’t until her landlords were able to evict her from the property that Knox County was able to seize the six cats that had been used for years as props in a “tiger training” scheme. Even though McCourt lost her USDA license to operate the tiger-tamer camp in 2000, and permanently in 2006, she continued to charge people to come into her back yard in Gambier, OH and pet the adult lions and tigers. The cats would often be chained down so that people could touch them or have their photos made with the cats. To make the cats more pliable McCourt had their teeth and claws removed. Despite the abusive violations to their bodies and mobility, the USDA investigation included eight allegations of attacks on visitors in an 8 month period.

In August 2007 McCourt had been evicted and Knox County was awarded custody of the four tigers and two lions. Dean Vickers, the State Director for the Ohio branch of the HSUS contacted Big Cat Rescue and asked if we could take the cats, but six more big cats would increase our annual budget by $45,000.00. We agreed and took two tigers, Nik & Sim and two lions, Joseph and Sasha. The remaining two tigers were placed with another sanctuary in Texas with the help of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

A Lion Pride of a Different Stripe

It took the combined efforts of USDA, undercover agents and concerned citizens seven years to shut down Diana McCourt (aka Cziraky) and her Siberian Tiger Foundation. It wasn’t until her landlords, Donnalynn and Christian Laver were able to evict her from the property that Knox County was able to seize the six cats who had been used for years as props in Diana McCourt’s “tiger training” scheme.

By the end of the ordeal eye witnesses said that the cats were starving and they still have inadequate shelter from the elements.

Even though McCourt lost her USDA license to operate the tiger-tamer camp in 2000, and permanently in 2006, she still continued to charge people to come into her back yard in Gambier, OH and pet the adult lions and tigers.

The cats would often be chained down so that people could touch them or have their photos made with the cats.

To make the cats more pliable McCourt had their teeth and claws removed. (Joseph still has his canine teeth) Despite the abusive violations to their bodies and mobility, the USDA investigation included eight allegations of attacks on visitors in an 8 month period.

In May of 2007 Diana McCourt emailed Carole Baskin asking if she could move her operation to Tampa and bring her cats to Big Cat Rescue.  Our response was that her cats were welcome here but her brand of animal abuse was not.  By August McCourt had been evicted and Knox County was awarded custody of the four tigers and two lions.  Dean Vickers, the State Director for the Ohio branch of the HSUS contacted Big Cat Rescue and asked if we could take the cats, but six more big cats increases our annual budget by $45,000.00.

When Sarabi, our lioness died, her half acre enclosure was opened up so that Nikita our only other lioness could have the run of both half acre enclosures.  This large enclosure has an open roof and is only suitable for lions because they don’t climb, or very old, declawed tigers, who would be unable to climb.  Taking on two lions, age 9 and 13, who have a 20 year life expectancy means a cost of $15,000.00 annually and $150,000.00 in the long run.  Lions often end up in canned hunts, especially males who are coveted as wall trophies, so we felt certain our donors would help us rescue these two cats.  Our board convened and agreed that the lions would be rescued as soon as we could make travel arrangements for them.

Calling with the good news, that at least the lions would be spared, we were told by the landlord, who has been caring for the cats since evicting Diana McCourt, that the male tiger, Nikita, would be heartbroken that his best friend in the world, Joseph the lion, would be leaving.  As the conversation unfolded it appears that for the last 13 years, two tigers and two lions have shared a cage.  (Joseph only coming along in the past 9 yrs)  Instead of being elated for the lions, we now felt sick that they would be separated from the only pride (albeit tigers) they had ever known.  And thinking about how they would feel, of course, led to thinking about how the tigers left behind would feel.

We appealed to our supporters, asking if they would be willing to help us rescue all four cats who have lived together and the response was an overwhelming, “YES!”

On Oct. 19th Big Cat Rescue’s President Jamie Veronica, VP Cathy Neumann, Operations Manager Scott Lope and Veterinarian Dr. Liz Wynn, DVM flew to Columbus, OH to rendezvous with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) staff and a driver and vet tech from the Animal Sanctuary of the United States (ASUS) at the Columbus Zoo at 6 am on the morning of the 20th.  From there the entourage drove an hour to the Gambier, OH facility and met with the property owner and the Knox County Animal Control Officer, Rich Reed who had been granted possession of the six cats.

Within just a few hours all of the cats were safely loaded and on the way to Florida where they arrived at 6 am the morning of the 21st.  While the weary drivers slept, the Big Cat Rescue team unloaded Nikita, Simba, Sasha and Joseph into their new enclosure, which is a little more than half an acre of lakeside living with high grass, cave like dens and hills from which they can survey their new kingdom.

We let you know that the rescue would cost us $34,000.00* and 294 of you responded.  As of 11/16/07 $29,435.00 has been raised to save these four cats. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) agreed to help rescue the last two cats and IFAW paid to transport all six cats to their final destinations. That saved us $4,000.00! We are now only $565.00 short of what this rescue will cost us in the first year. Thank you everyone who has helped so far!  If you haven’t helped yet, keep in mind that your donations are tax deductible and that these cats rely entirely on your generosity.

See slideshow of photos taken 9/26/07 in Ohio: Siberian Tiger Foundation

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) agreed to help rescue and place the last two cats, Sierra and Ekaterina who are now at Wildcat Sanctuary.

Sierra the white tigress	Ekaterina the tigress

Should there be any surplus in the donations made to this rescue they will be used for the continued care of the cats.

Canned Hunt 60 Minutes

It is a shame that 60 minutes diluted the impact of their show by having Richardson behave irresponsibly around lions, but it is about time main stream media exposed the fact that cub petting almost always ends badly for the cubs.  For someone to roll around with lions and then tell others that if they do it the cubs will end up being killed for their parts, is hypocritical and sets a bad example, but at least the people who don’t know any better might be drawn in by this bad behavior and actually learn something in the end about what really happens to most of these cubs.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-lion-whisperer/

Hundreds of other delusional people have been mauled and killed by the lions and tigers they thought were their “pets”.  Find out more here:

http://bigcatrescue.org/big-cat-attacks/

New Fundraising Rules 2014

Most nonprofit organizations engaged in fundraising in or from Florida must include a campaign disclosure on all solicitations, receipts, confirmations or reminders of a contribution.

Under the new law, this disclosure must also include a link to the Division of Consumer Services of the Department of Agriculture’s website.

The following link should be included on all of your campaign disclosures: www.800helpfla.com.

Here is a sample disclosure (which must be in ALL CAPS):

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR BIG CAT RESCUE, A FL-BASED NONPROFIT CORPORATION (REGISTRATION NO. CH 11409), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR BY VISITING www.800helpfla.com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

The Department has also released a summary of the law’s requirements here http://www.freshfromflorida. com/Divisions-Offices/ Consumer-Services/Business- Services/Charitable- Organizations.

These big cat attack stories are from 1919-2014.  There are quite a few, so a search for keyword may be helpful.

For an Excel sheet of incidents by state, by year, by species and by country go HERE

Click to see the killings, maulings and escapes by big cats by total for each state  for  less detail, but numbers updated through 2013.  

See a list of all of the known tigers in USDA facilities in America. Note that no one knows how many are in backyards and basements of private owners who are not required to be licensed by USDA.  See an interactive online map of tiger owners.

Big Cat Attacks

The following is a partial listing (748) of incidents in the U.S. involving captive exotic cats since 1990.  The U.S. incidents have resulted in the deaths of 23 humans, 16 adults and 5 children, the additional mauling of 258 more adults and children, 267 escapes, the killing of 146 big cats, and 133 confiscations. There have also been 256 big cat incidents outside the U.S. that have resulted in the deaths of 87 humans and the mauling of 140 humans by captive big cats.  These figures only represent the headlines that Big Cat Rescue has been able to track.  Because there is no reporting agency that keeps such records the actual numbers are certainly much higher.   http://bigcatrescue.org/big-cat-attacks

The Journal of Internal Medicine in 2006 estimated that 50 million people worldwide have been infected with zoonotic diseases in the past 6 years and as many as 78,000 have died. Read more about zoonotic diseases here:  http://bigcatrescue.org/2007/zoonotic-disease-discussion-on-national-geographic/

Mauled by a Privately Owned Exotic Pet Who Escaped

To see the number of exotic cats abandoned each year check out that section of our most recent Annual Report.

The U.S. represents less than 5% of the entire global population, but up through 2006 79% of ALL captive cat incidents occurred in the U.S.  (Now that the US is clamping down on the exotic pet trade, the reports in 2007 show a decline in U.S. incidents compared to the rest of the world)  Likewise, Florida represents less than 6% of the U.S. population while 12% of all U.S. incidents occur in Florida.  Florida boasts the most comprehensive sets of regulations allowing private ownership of exotic cats while ranking #1 in the highest numbers of big cat killings, maulings and escapes. To view photos of fatal injuries from cases reported in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine click http://bigcatrescue.org/laws/AMJForensicFeline.pdf

For more images of people who have been mauled by cougars open this Word Document It appears that many attacks on humans by “wild” mountain lions are really just escaped or released pets.

Yearly Maulings Killings and Escapes by Big Cats

2014

Dec 3, 2014:  Buckhead, GA:  A Siberian Lynx attacked his caregiver while his owner, Fred Boyajian, was out of town.  The person was reportedly bitten on the head at  the 3000 block of Paces Ferry Road NW.  Police say the woman was bitten on her head and had cuts on her arms and back. She was treated at the hospital.  David Laws, the primary caregiver for the cats tried to downplay the event, but the 911 call was pretty terrifying.  The owner has 9 cats, including 4 Siberian Lynxes, one Canada lynx, and 3 other cats of comparable size.  Channel 2’s Carl Willis went to the neighborhood, where neighbors said it isn’t the first incident involving the large cats.  Neighbors are nervous as it’s still not clear how the animal was able to attack a person hired to feed them.  They say it doesn’t help matters that one of the large cats has gotten loose in the neighborhood before.  Aerial footage from NewsChopper2 showed a large cat pacing in its cage at a home in Buckhead.  It was moments after police say a Siberian Lynx bit someone.  Police found the victim bleeding heavily from her head. DNR says the owner is permitted to breed the animals on the property.  In 2004, another lynx, belonging to the same owner, got loose.  A 50-pound lynx was spotted near a home on Beechwood Hills Court. “Because I don’t think any of us really know how they’re being contained and if one of them was to get out and bite someone in my family or anyone else, it’d be pretty terrifying,” a neighbor said.

Oct. 31, 2014 China, Chongqing, Xinhua:  A circus tiger killed an 8 year old girl in southwestern Chongqing Municipality.  She slipped into an closed animal training site of a circus in Leheledu Amusement Park and died in the hospital after serious injuries.  The circus is hired by the Leheledu Amusement Park for performances. A spokesman from the park said they have reached initial agreement on settling the incident with the victim’s family.

Oct. 21, 2014 Thailand:  Phuket’s Tiger Kingdom closed its Big Cat enclosure after a 15-month-old tiger attacked Australian tourist Paul Goudie, 49,  biting his both legs and stomach.  Bangkok Post reported that Mr Goudie has undergone surgery and has more operations scheduled.  The incident happened while Mr Goudie was walking around in an area where visitors are allowed to touch and take photos with the big cats.  The adult tigers are reportedly chained and drugged so that visitors can cuddle up to them and take photographs. Tiger Kingdom has closed Big Cat enclosure temporarily, though visitors can still visit cages containing smaller tigers, reported Phuket Wan.

Oct. 10, 2014 Little Rock, AR:  A three-year-old boy was mauled when he fell from the railing above the jaguar pit at the Little Rock Zoo.  According to the police report, the boy’s grandfather placed the toddler on the railing to view the two jaguars. His father Andrew Garber was taking pictures of the cats when he says he saw the boy fall in his peripheral view. The boy fell four-and-a-half meters, or about 15 feet, into the jaguar pit. Witnesses told THV11 they saw one jaguar biting child’s neck and the other biting the boy’s foot. The toddler suffered a fractured skull, scalp lacerations and minor puncture wounds both during the fall and jaguar attack.

Oct 9, 2014 St. Paul, MN:  Brian Casey Phillips climbed over the guardrail at the Como Zoo and was apparently yelling at the cougars in the exhibit and pushing on the cage wall when he apparently was scratched by one of the cougars. He was cited for disturbing zoo animals and released at the scene.

Oct. 6, 2014 Jupiter, FL:  A construction worker lost his thumb after being bitten by a tiger at Zoological Wildlife Foundation (a ZAA member)  owned by a convicted felon and suspected drug kingpin, Mario Tabraue.  Visitors to the zoo are encouraged to interact with the animals in the vast collection, which includes an alligator, different types of monkeys, birds, two different kinds of anteater, a fox and other exotic creatures.

In December 1987, the Associated Press reported that Tabraue was arrested as part of a sting operation targeting a drug-trafficking ring that killed an informant and dismembered his body while smuggling in a half-million pounds of marijuana. During the trial, witnesses recounted how Tabraue and an associate allegedly carved up the corpse of federal informant Larry Nash with a circular saw, dumped it in a horse trough and set it alight. Tabraue’s drug-smuggling operation allegedly imported 500,000 of tons of pot and more than 200lbs of cocaine from Colombia, earning him $75million in profit.

Now Tabraue funds Frank Vitello, a lobbyist to thwart the Big Cats & Public Safety Act which would put an end to the private collection of big cats.

Sept 22, 2014 Delhi Zoo: A white tiger attacked and killed a 20-year-old man named Maksood who apparently slipped and fell 18 feet into a dry moat at the Delhi zoo. Some say he was sitting on the enclosure, others say the barricade was too low and he fell in. A witness said he raced to the tiger enclosure after hearing screams, to see the man locked in the tiger’s jaws, “writhing badly in pain”.

“We saw some kids throwing in small sticks and stones inside the tiger enclosure. Then we saw that a white tiger had gripped a man by his neck. No one helped him,” said Himanshu, a visitor. Witnesses say the man suffered for an agonizing 10-15 minutes before dying.

“The tiger didn’t attack at first, till stones were thrown at it. I saw the man folding his hands before the tiger, who kept looking at first. The man tried to run away but the tiger swiped at him, wounding his neck. Then it carried him away by the head,” said Bittu, a witness who filmed the horrific incident on his mobile phone.

August 24, 2014 Rietfontein, Johannesburg, S. Africa:  A circus worker sustained severe bite wounds and lacerations to his neck and chest, Netcare 911 spokesman Chris Botha said in a statement.  The tiger escaped from its enclosure early on Sunday morning. The man was taken to hospital.  Botha could provide no further details on the attack. Nor could he provide the name of the circus, which he said was on Beyers Naude Drive.

August 23, 2014 Dallas, TX:  A 35 year old senior zookeeper is recovering after being attacked by a lion at the Dallas zoo.  “We had an unfortunate incident and accident with one of our keepers who was actually in the same space with a lion and was bitten by the lion,” said Gregg Hudson, President and CEO of the Dallas Zoo.  One of two Zookeepers who were present, inadvertently left the door of an enclosure area open.  The male Zookeeper who, according to zoo officials, is among the most experienced, was bitten at least once on the shoulder and scratched several times.  “Anytime that you’re bitten by a lion, it’s going to be pretty serious …but I was able to speak to him this afternoon and he’s in good spirits, ” assured Hudson.

August 16, 2014 Cusco, Peru:  The teacher, who was out with the students for a day of fun at the Monaco Circus in Cusco, Peru, was called out by the lion tamer to show her students that the animal didn’t pose a threat.  But the applause quickly turned to screams of terror when she entered the cage and the lion attacked her, dragging her out in front of the crowd with its teeth while her students watched in shock.

August 10, 2014 Aiken, SC: Lt, Jake Mahoney with the Aiken Department of Public Safety is investigating the disappearance of a pet mountain lion from a Aquarium Pets on Richland Avenue West in Aiken.  The animal is described as black in color, (mountain lions are all tan, so was this really a black leopard?) weighing approximately 100 pounds, and three feet tall. The mountain lion was wearing a dog harness when it was last seen. The owner told officers that the animal has been declawed, which has been illegal since 2004.  Investigators have determined that the entire story has been fabricated, Mahoney said Sunday evening. Mahoney said at this time there is no indication as to why the original complainant fabricated the story. The search for the missing mountain lion has now turned into a criminal investigation pertaining to the filing of a false police report. The stats for escapes and incidents above have been reduced accordingly.

August 1, 2014 Brazil:  An 11-year-old boy was visiting Cascavel Zoo in Parana, Brazil, when he jumped over the barriers and started trying to touch a tiger named Hu through the fence.  Before the boy’s father realized his son was in the prohibited area, the tiger had attacked the child.  He was taken to a nearby hospital, but his arm was so damaged that after several operations surgeons decided they had to remove it.

July 30, 2014 Queensland, Australia:  An animal handler is recovering after being bitten by a tiger named Juma at Australia Zoo (owned by the family of the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin) on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.  The 42-year-old suffered puncture wounds while trying to move the big cat to another enclosure. He was taken to hospital in a stable condition.  Last year, 30-year-old tiger handler Dave Styles was mauled on the neck and shoulders during an attempt to swim with tigers.

July 27, 2014 Tawas, MI :  Renae Ferguson and her daughter Tina Dobson said the lion attack happened at the Sunrise Side Nature Trail and Exotic Park. They were visiting the zoo when they claim a worker let them into the lion’s cage.  “I was totally in shock. I really didn’t believe that was part of my finger laying on the ground,” Renae Ferguson said.  “I put my hand down there to pet it and it ripped my finger,” Ferguson said.

July 27, 2014 France:  A lion reached out of his cage and scratched a 16-month-old girl at the Claudio Zavatta Circus in France, injuring the child’s head and back. The child wandered away from her parents and walked past a security barrier that way around the animals’ cages. The lion stuck a paw out of his cage and grabbed for the girl. She was taken to the hospital to be stitched up.  The news came the same day as a not guilty verdict for the owner of a circus elephant that killed an elderly man.

April 14, 2014 Khobar, Saudi Arabia:  A tiger in a private zoo attacked an Asian worker when he was cleaning the premises.  Other workers managed to free the man before the beast could devour him. Despite the efforts, the worker died due to the severe injuries he sustained on his head, shoulder, and other parts of his body. The incident took place earlier this week, reported Sabq news.The spokesman for the Eastern Region Police, Colonel Ziad Alriqaiti said that they were investigating the incident that took place at the small private zoo near a housing complex in the eastern town of Khobar.

Feb 17, 2014 China:  After going to the Chengdu Zoo, 27 year old Yang Jinhai wrote how depressing it was to see the ‘noble and magnificent tigers’ living in such humble surroundings, where they were caged and unable to follow their natural instincts to hunt and kill.  He then announced that he had decided to sacrifice himself in order to provide the Bengal tigers with support.  He climbed into the tiger cage to sacrifice himself, but was rescued by staff after being dragged around the cage for a while by the tigers.

Jan 26, 2014 Montgomery, AL:  An inbred white tiger escaped from her enclosure and entered another animal pen at the Montgomery Zoo, prompting a lockdown of the facility.  WSFA-TV reported that a street near the zoo was temporarily blocked during the lockdown. Montgomery police also responded to the situation.  The tiger was out of her exhibit for about 30 minutes. The big cat was tranquilized and returned to her own enclosure. Zoo officials are now working to repair the breach in the underwater fencing.  The zoo introduced its two young tigers in March.

Jan 20, 2014  Tbilisi, Ukraine:  A 24 year old lion tamer, named Roman Gurkin, from a group of Ukrainian performers entered the lion’s cage to do some cleaning, and that was when the animal attacked.  Gurkin, who had been caring for the lion for years, died from his injuries at the Republican Hospital in Tbilisi.  Thursday night’s performance was just over when the incident happened. This was the circus’ last performance in Georgia.

Jan 3, 2014 Spring Hill, FL: The agricultural unit of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is assisting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission in locating a lion believed to be loose from the Survival Outreach Sanctuary run by Judy Watson.  The facility is located at 22005 Bowman Road in Spring Hill.  USDA cited this facility for unsafe lion caging in Feb 2013 and gave Watson until March 2013 to make repairs but there is no evidence that USDA ever followed up.  SOS cited by USDA for unsafe Lion Cage.  A few days later a deer, that had apparently failed rehab, gored out the eye of a visitor and left her badly cut on her neck and arms.

Read more: http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_citrus_hernando/spring_hill/lion-escapes-from-wildlife-survival-sanctuary-in-spring-hill#ixzz2pLzXPlHL

2013

Dec 22, 2013 San Diego, CA:  A female Malayan tiger was killed Saturday while mating at the San Diego Zoo. Zoo officials say what happened at the zoo on Saturday when “Tiga” was killed was not an attack, but rather said it was a natural part of breeding. What is NOT natural is introducing captive cats to each other in such small spaces. These animals should be free to choose their own mates and not be held captive and used to breed more animals for captivity.

Dec 17, 2013 Shanghai:  A 56 year old keeper named Zhou, at Shanghai’s zoo, was mauled to death by a rare South China tiger after entering the 9 year old male’s enclosure to clean it.  The tiger was had no prior record of aggression against people. It said the attack occurred at the zoo’s breeding facility where safety procedures are in place.  State media cited unidentified colleagues as saying the man entered the tiger enclosure to clean it and “did not come out again.” The highly endangered South China tiger is considered effectively extinct in the wild after decades of being hunted as a pest. Only a few are kept in zoos.  Shanghai’s zoo is one of China’s largest and most popular urban animal parks.

Dec 9, 2013 Spain:  Danny Gottani of the Gottani Circus was in the middle of a performance when the tiger leapt at him, wrapping its arms around the trainer and swiping at him. Other circus workers had to hit the animal with sticks to get it off 60 year old Gottani, who was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He had been working with tigers since he was 18. Gottani’s mother also taken after she had a panic attack watching the terrifying scene.

Dec 8 2012 Montgomery, AL:  A tiger escaped into a neighboring cage at the Montgomery Zoo, according to WSFA.  The Montgomery Zoo introduced its two new Bengal tigers, an orange male and a white female, in March, but something led to one driving the other out.  The report says the zoo as well the street surrounding it were put on lock down after the animal entered another animal’s pen. The Montgomery Police Department responded and the Montgomery Zoo staff was able to get the tiger back into its exhibit.

Dec 2, 2013 Duluth, MN:  At the Lake Superior Zoo a  4-year veteran zoo-keeper was feeding the Siberian tiger venison, when the food slipped from her hand and the tiger tried to catch it but instead caught the zookeepers finger.  Jennifer Eickhoff was doing operant conditioning with Ussuri, a 400-pound male Amur tiger when a piece of meat got stuck in the fence and she apparently pushed it in with her finger. “It’s still attached, it’s just a little on the mangled side,” said Peter Pruett, director of zoo operations. “She was in complete shock.” She was taken to the hospital in Duluth. Pruett says the bite was completely unintentional.  “When she comes back to work, I’ll sit down with her and we’ll discuss the incident and we’ll look through our protocols and we’ll make the necessary changes to make sure this type of accident doesn’t happen again,” said Pruett.

Nov 25, 2013 Australia:  A 30 year old tiger handler, named Dave Styles, who has 9 years of experience at this zoo, was mauled by a tiger that he had raised from a cub, during a show at Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. He was bitten on the shoulder and neck.  Several colleagues risked their own lives and rushed to his rescue, dragging the man to safety.  The incident happened in front of a crowd of spectators.  Paramedics tried to treat the man at the scene but massive bleeding led to him being flown to the Royal Brisbane Hospital.  His condition is listed as serious but stable.   In a radio interview with Carole Baskin, by Fairfax Radio Network, it was stated to her that this zoo participates in pay to play schemes whereby the zoo patrons pay to pose with cubs.

Nov 24, 2013 Seoul:  A 52 year old zookeeper, named Shim, at Seoul Zoo died a couple weeks after being mauled by a 3 year old male Siberian tiger after the animal escaped from its indoor enclosure into a corridor used by zoo staff, Yonhap news agency reported.  The incident prompted calls for improved safety checks and awareness at the zoo, the South Korean news agency said.

Nov 9 2013 Sherwood, OR:  Renee Radziwon-Chapman, a 35 yr old woman was killed after she was bitten by a cougar at WildCat Haven. She was alone at the facility at the time.  The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said they are not releasing details about the worker killed but said the medical examiner was responding.  News reports stated that fire crews have had a difficult time reaching the worker because there are several cats loose within the enclosure where Chapman was found dead. Renee was survived by her husband, Aaron Chapman, a former worker at the facility and their 5 month old daughter, Noa Elise.  WildCat Haven is the lifetime home for more than 60 neglected, abandoned, and abused captive-born wildcats.

Oct 5 2013 Garold Wayne Interactive Zoo, Wynnewood, OK:  Joe Schreibvogel, owner of the Garold Wayne Interactive Zoological Park in Wynnewood, OK according to ABC news, said the arm was still attached when the 27 year old, Kelci Saffery was airlifted to Pauls Valley Hospital helipad as the nearest air evac had to respond from Duncan, Oklahoma.  From there she was air lifted to OU Medical Center where her arm was amputated from the elbow down.  Joe Schreibvogel blamed Saffery on facebook, and it was posted on dozens of news sites, saying, “This was an employee error of violating the safety protocols of placing any part of the body inside a cage.”  That seems like a hypocritical policy given that Schreibvogel frequently parades around in front of staff and guests walking an adult tiger on a leash and allowing staff and even guests to go in the cages and play with lions, ligers and tigers.

Sept 17, 2013 Ethiopia Musie Kiflom Zoo:  A lion has mauled to death a keeper at a zoo in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, after he forgot to close the door to the inner cage where the animal sleeps.  The lion, named Kenenisa bit Abera Silsay, 51, in the neck.  The attack is said to have lasted for 15-20 minutes.  This is the second time a zookeeper has been killed by a lion at the centre in the past 17 years.

Sept 7, 2013 Kuwait:  A passerby lured a runaway lion roaming an upmarket suburb of Kuwait into his car and then called the police.  Pictures in Kuwaiti media showed the animal glaring out of the back of a police car. The lion, which police said was a young adult, filled the backseat.  Police are seeking the owner of the lion, believed to be someone who was illegally rearing it as a pet in a country where such animals are sometimes considered status symbols by rich individuals.

Sept 5, 2013 Starkville, MS:  Huyanh Ralph Tran, 35, was arrested following an exotic animals investigation.  Tran resides Park Avenue, where a search warrant was issued on August 28.  Officers responded to neighbors complaining of loud animal noises coming from the residence.  Once inside the residence, investigators discovered an illegal commercial exotic animal breeding farm with dozens of large constrictor snakes, African cats, rare frogs, parrots, macaws and other large birds.

Sept 4, 2013 Fairfield Beach, OH:  The Ohio Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Erica Hawkins says the agency wants to know how the 400 lb., 2-year-old lioness ended up in a neighbor’s yard Sunday in Fairfield County.  Hawkins said the animal was registered, though its enclosure might not meet the state’s temporary standards.  The lion belongs to John Moore. He worked as a caretaker for the suicidal man who freed dozens of exotic animals near Zanesville two years ago.

Aug 30, 2013 Tiger Temple, Thailand:  The Daily Mail reported that a 19 year old student had been assured by the monks at the Tiger Temple that it was perfectly safe to pet the tigers, but as she was petting one tiger another leaped across the arena and bit through her leg, leaving her unable to walk, even 8 weeks later when the story finally was discovered by the media.  The young woman said the monks had been paying all of her bills, but they couldn’t buy her silence.  She said it isn’t as safe as they tell you.

Aug 10, 2013 Patna Zoo, India:  Mohammad Imran Khan, 22, barged into the Patna Zoo den of a lion named Vishal. He was saved from what looked like a certain death by zoo keeper Shatrughan Paswan who managed to divert attention of the animal and push it into a night shelter. Khan jumped into a moat in the enclosure, a fall of 12-13 feet, after scaling the wall. “It all happen in split of a second. The animal attacked him from behind, holding his neck and shoulder with its claws. He would have mauled the man to death had not keeper in charge showed presence of mind”, a witness said. The zoo director said it was a freak incident. “Patrolling parties make repeated rounds of the zoo ground on such crowded days. Still, crazy people have managed to do this kind of thing thrice earlier,” he said.

July 18, 2013 Belize, S.A.:  A family trip to an animal “sanctuary” in Belize ended with the 10 year old autistic child being mauled by an Ocelot. His mother had subjected him, and his two siblings, to being leapt on by Jaguars in a close encounter offered by the pseudo sanctuary. It took 40 minutes for the family and zoo keepers to drive through the jungle to the hospital.  The little boy was interviewed and said that all wild animals should be behind multiple barricades to avoid such incidents.  No legitimate zoo or sanctuary allows public contact with exotic cats.

July 11, 2013 Reliant, TX:  A Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey tiger trainer was injured during a show at Reliant Stadium.  Alexander Lacey was doing the double walk tiger trick.  He was bleeding quite a bit, but Lacey continued with the show.  Onsite paramedics examined Lacey following the end of his act.  According to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show, Lacey is going to perform in Friday night’s show.

July 3, 2013 Pretoria, South Africa:  

Lauren Fagen, 18, says she was kissing the fur of a male lion named Duma when he suddenly reached through the bars of his cage, grabbed her legs in and began mauling her at the Moholoholo animal rehabilitation centre in Pretoria, South Africa. She was walking next to the cage for a five-year-old male lion when he stuck his paws between the bars and grappled her. “My leg was through the bars into his enclosure… and I was in the feeding cage. He started biting my leg and scratching it, and I tried to push back with my other leg but somehow… he had both my legs up to my upper thigh inside the enclosure. The bars are quite close together so I couldn’t pull them out because at my knee it got stuck, and i could see him biting me and I thought I was going to lose both my legs,” she said.

Fagen said she remembers the male lion being quite affectionate with her and in a very good mood. A few minutes later, she noticed the lion was at the door to the feeding cage, and that’s when he grabbed the bottom of her leg and tried to pull her through the bars. A female lion approached and also began mauling her legs as well. The teenager said that’s when she was certain she was going to die. Other volunteers at the centre heard Fagen’s screams and ran to her rescue, fending off the lions with brooms. She was rushed to a hospital and treated for multiple lacerations to her legs and abdomen.

July 2, 2013 Turin, Italy: A 72 yr old zookeeper, Mauro Lagiard was mauled and eaten by his own tigers when he went to feed them.  He was dragged 100ft while his 73 yr old wife watched.  According to the Daily Mail, Police said his dismembered body was later found by the tigers’ water trough.  He went in to the cage to give the tigers chicken meatballs on Tuesday night.  However, the alpha-male of the pack, named Samir, went in for the kill, quickly followed by two others of the pack. Five recently born cubs watched the attack.  The tigers dragged the zookeeper through the dirt to a clearing and tore him to pieces.

According to reports, the tiger that attacked first was his favorite, even though the same animal had attacked him before two years ago and caused him to spend eight months in hospital. Neighbors said the animals were malnourished and aggressive. The tigers were fed just twice a week.  In 2010 large bills and dwindling numbers of tourists forced the closure of the zoo.  The tigers are currently in the care of vets while their fate is decided. Samir is likely to be put down.

June 21, 2013 Anderson, IN: A 21 year old female employee named Marissa Dub was attacked by tiger at Joe Taft’s Exotic Feline Rescue Center. For cleaning purposes, the tiger was moved into a holding area. Officials report that the door to the holding area did not get shut all the way, allowing the tiger to bite and latch onto her head. Co workers distracted the tiger with food and retrieved Dub who was airlifted in critical condition to Wishard Memorial Hospital in Indianapolis.

June 20, 2013 Charlestown, IN:  A woman got the shock of her life when she fired into the shadows, in an attempt to kill what she thought had been a bobcat, and discovered the cat she killed to be a 9 month old baby leopard.  Tim Stark, a mile away, at Wildlife in Need, a backyard menagerie, said he had been setting traps to catch a leopard, but claimed it was because his neighbors asked him to do so.

June 19, 2013 Westtown, NY:   A male, 30-35 pound serval was left outside the Dawn Animal Agency sanctuary entrance in a flimsy wire crate, and quickly escaped.  He was on the loose for 3 days before being caught with a net while going for some food that was set out as a lure. The USDA is trying to track down the owner.

June 11, 2013 South Africa, Bloemfontein: Manie and Angelique Visser, from Brits,  have been left seriously injured after apparently trying to play with a lion cub at the Ukutula Lion Park & Lodge. According to Manie they had fostered the lion, called Markus, since it was a cub of three weeks until it was eight months old when they returned it to the park last year. “We visited it every two or three months and we went again on Sunday. As Angelique was leaving, the lion rubbed against Angelique’s legs and then grabbed her leg,” Manie said.

He got hold of her calf and I tried to get his mouth open. He then turned on me and started biting. One of the park workers grabbed him by the tail and I was trying to push him away. The other worker hit him with a stick.” Manie said he had no idea how long the attack lasted. He sustained bite wounds to his legs, arms, hands, back and head. “The lion took a chunk out of my leg,” Angelique said.

The pair, who had recently bought the lion, were both admitted to hospital and had to have surgery. They had owned lions before and insisted they knew what they were doing.

June 04, 2013 Novosibirsk, Russia: A zookeeper at a zoo in western Siberia died Tuesday after a female jaguar mauled her, officials say.  Police said the attack at the zoo in Novosibirsk occurred in an area of the enclosure the woman cleaning.  A partition between the animal’s open-air enclosure and their indoor pen had been accidentally unlocked and the women entered an area occupied by a 5-year-old female jaguar and her 7-month-old cub, zoo director Rostislav Shilo said. The 48-year-old woman died instantly when the jaguar broke her back. The woman had worked at the zoo for two years.

May 25, 2013, Dalton-in-Furness, UK: A 24 yr old, female zoo worker, Sarah McClay, a long time staff member at South Lakes Wild Animal Park was mauled to death after apparently walking into the tiger cage. CEO, Mr Gill said Miss McClay had worked at the wildlife park for a number of years and was ‘very proficient’ in her work with big cats.  He told BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday: ‘After investigation by the authorities here and the police, it does seem that she just basically failed to follow the correct procedures.  ‘For some unknown reason, an inexplicable reason, because there is no reason for why she did it, she opened the door and went into the tiger enclosure and straight into the tigers, and now we’ll never know why.’

April 20, 2013, Salina, KS: A circus tiger escaped during an Isus Shrine Circus show at the Salina Bicentennial Center. Initial reports indicated that the circus was trying to downplay the escape, saying no one even noticed, but that’s not what Jenna Krehbiel said. Krehbiel had finished watching the large cat show when she decided to step out into the hall and came face to face with the escaped tiger.

March 28, 2013 Montreal Canada:  A zoo employee was mauled by a tiger at the Zoo Sauvage in St-Félicien, in the Lac St. Jean area.  The male custodian was attacked by the female tiger and was very badly injured but conscious when the officers arrived. He is currently being treated in hospital and the tiger has been placed in isolation.

March 6, 2013 Fresno, CA:  A 24 year old intern named Dianna Hanson was mauled to death while inside a cage with a four year old male lion named Cous Cous.  The lion had been raised at the zoo since he was 8 weeks old.  Another worker tried to distract the lion, to no avail, and the sheriff shot the cat to death, but it was too late for Dianna Hanson.  The facility is called Project Survival Cat Haven and is run by Dale Anderson.  On his website he says, “In the seventh grade a gentleman brought a Mountain Lion to my class… After that experience I wanted to have a cat of some kind at some later date.”  This is why it is so bad to use wild animals as ego props, especially in the presence of children who will grow up to fulfill their desire to “be that guy,” even if it means dooming wild animals to life in cages.

February 2, 2013 Etchojoa, Sonora:  Police say that Alexander Crispin, 35, died after being attacked by his tiger inside the Suarez circus tent.  Crispin, who was originally from the United States and worked as a tiger tamer, was bitten on the neck by the enraged animal in the middle of the show.  Crispin was taken by ambulance to the Red Cross hospital Huatabampo, Sonora where he died while receiving medical care, as a result of hypovolemic shock.  Hysterical spectators ran out of the scene during the attack.  It is believed that the tiger was killed during the struggle when beating him did not cause him to release Crispin.

2012

Nov 23, 2012 Czech Liberac Zoo:  A white tiger escaped from its enclosure at a Czech zoo and mauled three employees.

Nov 11, 2012 Skopje, Macedonia:  Several hundred spectators got an unexpected shock at a circus in Macedonia after a lion broke through a safety enclosure during a performance.  Spectators fled in panic when the lion charged through metal fencing at the Hungarian circus Safari. Children were crying and some women even fainted.

Sept 21, 2012  Bronx Zoo, NY:  A 25 year old man jumped out of the monorail into the tiger exhibit where he was badly mauled by one of the tigers before zoo employees rescued him using fire extinguishers, zoo officials said.  The man severely injured his leg and foot in the attack and also has deep cuts to the back.  Once the tiger backed away, the man was instructed to roll under a hot wire to safety, said Bronx Zoo Director Jim Breheny.

August 26, 2012 Berlin, Germany:  A 4 year old tiger named Altai escaped his cage at Cologne Zoo in western Germany and killed a 43 year old female keeper before being shot dead by the zoo’s director, police said.  The tiger slipped through a passage between the enclosure and an adjacent storage building said police spokesman Stefan Kirchner, saying  “It appears the gate wasn’t properly shut”

August 18, 2012  Cisarua, Bogor, West Java:  A janitor at the Taman Safari Indonesia zoo identified as Junaedi, 32, was mauled to death by a tiger while busy trimming grass in the Sumatran tiger compound . Junaedi was not aware that the adult Sumatran tiger was stalking him.  The tiger suddenly attacked Junaedi, who died instantly at the scene with wounds to his head, hands and legs.

July 30, 2012 Chile’s Santiago Metropolitan Zoo: A zookeeper, Jose Silva, who had more than 25 years experience with big cats, was mauled and seriously injured by a white tiger named Pampa, who was later killed.  Pampa had arrived at the zoo seven years ago from Buenos Aires, and attacked the zookeeper both inside and outside the enclosure.

July 19, 2012  Nanping Jiufeng Mountain Zoo, China:  A substitute zookeeper was mauled to death by a leopard when he opened the cage.

July 15, 2012 Tata Steel Zoo India:  A man was mauled when entering the tiger cage at Tata Steel Zoo.  Reports said that he was not stable and may have been there to steal the cubs or poison the cats.

July 12, 2012 Toronto, Canada:  A declawed Mountain Lion who killed a dog may have been from nearby Guha’s Tiger and Lion Farm a backyard menagerie.  Calls to Guha’s were not returned said The Star.

July 11, 2012 Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark:  A 21 year old man was found dead in the tiger pit at the Copenhagen Zoo.  It was unclear how or why the 21-year-old Afghan-born man had entered the Siberian tiger den, but investigators could not exclude suicide as a motive, police spokesman Lars Borg said. The man sustained multiple bite wounds to the throat, face, chest and a thigh.

May 29, 2012 Hernando County, FL:  Charlie, a 275 lb mountain lion pushed the wall out of his cage, escaped and killed a neighbor’s dog.  Video at Ch 10 News

May 23, 2012 Plano, TX:  A bobcat has been filmed who is wearing a collar, and was obviously a pet, wandering around a Plano, TX neighborhood with her kittens.  It is not known if she escaped, or if she was abandoned, nor is it known if she was pregnant at the time of release or if she has mated with native bobcats.  What this does do is prove that  bobcats should not be kept as pets and when they escape into the environment they can multiply.  That wouldn’t be such a bad thing for bobcats in TX, except that most pet bobcats are the Northern varieties and thus the mixing of genes in the wild could threaten local varieties as the northern cats are usually much larger.

May 15, 2012 Hoedspruit, South Africa:  In a pay to play scheme  Madelein Querk, 28, visited the Tshukudu game lodge where she posed for pictures with the lion cubs.  One cub bit her, leaving her with four deep cuts on her face, and lacerations on her left arm and leg, where the lion clawed her. Querk’s husband attempted to distract the lion by hitting it with his camera.  The injured woman received 60 stitches at the Nelspruit Mediclinic.

May 4, 2012 Belleview, WA: Animal Control impounded a 13-year-old lynx that bit the girlfriend of a man who lived in the 1900 block of 160th Avenue Northeast area of Belleview. The Canada Lynx was impounded by the King County Animal Control. Big Cat Rescue contacted Animal Control asking that the lynx be released to their care rather than killed.

April 28, 2012 Port Elizabeth, South Africa: Two excited, supposedly tame cheetahs mauled a Scottish tourist in a petting area at the Kragga Kamma Game Park, forcing her to play dead to save her life.  Violet D’Mello, who had just posed for a picture with the hand-reared cheetahs named Mark and Monty, tried to protect a seven-year-old boy. According to D’Mello, who was with her husband, Archibald, one of the animals first grabbed the leg of a visiting eight-year-old girl, leaving her with cuts and abrasions. When she was free, it appeared to run after her seven-year-old brother. D’Mellow was viciously knocked to the ground and attacked, proving that wild cats act on instinct and cannot be tamed.

March 2, 2012 Crocodylus Park, DarwinAustralia:  A lioness mauled Peter Davidson, who runs hunting safaris in the Top End, called Arnhemland Hunting Safaris had been hired by Crocodylus Park to spray for weeds. It appeared he put his hand inside the animal’s cage. He said the nine-year-old lioness named Shebe grabbed Mr Davidson’s arm in her mouth. Prof Webb said Shebe had never harmed anybody and he was at a loss to explain why Mr Davidson put his hand in the enclosure. “We really need to talk to him. He was with the head keeper. She turned around and the next thing he yelled,” he said. He was sent to the Royal Darwin Hospital where he is in stable condition.

February 27, 2012 Loxahatchee, FL:  After more than 5 years of non compliance with Florida’s wildlife possession laws, and a failed attempt as securing a federal permit, three big cats (2 tigers and a leopard) were confiscated from Steve Sipek.  He was jailed during the confiscation to assure public safety and had been infamous for once playing a Spanish version of Tarzan and for the escape of a tiger named Bobo, who was shot to death while roaming the community of Loxahatchee.
February 15, 2012 Johannesburg Zoo in South Africa:  A lioness attacked and mauled a 63-year-old zoo keeper to death at a farm owned by Johannesburg Zoo in South Africa.  Joe Ramonetha, who had worked at the zoo for more than 40 years, died from a bite to the neck, zoo officials have said.

January 11, 2012 Bhubaneswar: Two days after a wild leopard strayed into Guwahati and mauled four persons, a lioness escaped from its enclosure in Nandankanan Zoo sending the animal park authorities into a tizzy. Multiple attempts to dart the lioness have failed.

January 4, 2012 Blagoveshchenski, Russia: A tiger at a roadside zoo attacked a three year old child who neurosurgery. Dmitry Serezhichev said the tiger was behind a barrier but that the parents put the child too close to the cage to take his picture.

2011

December 27, 2011 China:  In Hefei a female Siberian tiger escaped from a zoo and entered a public park so she was immediately put down by police on safety concerns.  The nine-year-old tiger made her way out of the zoo after a zookeeper came to feed her but forgot to properly lock the cage. Zoo officials said the tiger had a bad temper, probably caused by mating anxiety. This was the latest incident in a string of cases involving tigers escaping from zoos in China over the past few years, according to local media reports. Most escaped tigers were put down by police if they were not caught. A Bengal tiger killed a zookeeper after escaping the cage in Shanghai last year.

November 28, 2011 Wynnewood, OK:  In an expose on tiger cub abuse at malls, Inside Edition filmed an employee of G.W. Exotic Animal Park saying that just last month he was mauled by a six month old tiger and that “There was blood everywhere.  It was a total, total mess!”  The segment also showed children interacting with a sickly tiger cub who appeared to have ringworm, a highly contagious fungus.

November 9, 2011 Seattle, WA: A lion got out of its den at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, but it didn’t get far before it was tranquilized in a service building. The zoo says the 12-year-old female named Kalisa gained access to a hallway.

October 19, 2011 Zanesville, OH:  56  lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, wolves, giraffes, camels and bears escaped from a the Muskingum County Animal Farm, and the owner Terry Thompson, who had just gotten out of prison was found dead there after shooting himself.  Neighbor Danielle White, whose father’s property abuts the animal preserve, said she didn’t see loose animals this time but did in 2006, when a lion escaped.  Thompson, who lived on the property, had orangutans and chimps in his home, but those were still in their cages.  18 tigers, 17 lions and 3 cougars were shot to death because the owner had cut all of the doors off the cages to prevent their containment.  A cougar is still at large.  In the last six years, local authorities visited Thompson’s farm nearly 30 times in response to complaints about escaped animals, animal cruelty, and more. Police knew the rare animals were at a huge risk, but there was nothing they could do because OH does not ban the private possession of wild animals.

October 16, 2011 Odessa, TX:  A 4-year-old boy was mauled by a pet mountain lion owned by his aunt.  His mother and aunt refused to speak to the press and wanted to hide the attack.  The boy received lacerations and puncture wounds on his left side, including a bite mark on the left side of his face during the attack in West Odessa, Sgt. Gary Duesler with the Ector County Sheriff’s Office said.  Amber Michelle Couch, 9450 W. 26th St., who owned the mountain lion, was given a citation for not keeping up with the vaccines and was warned in July that the cage was too small and gaps where the cat could reach out too large, but had done nothing to correct the situation.

September 17, 2011 Wynnewood, OK:  Again at Joe Schreibvogel’s G.W. Exotic Animal Park rather incredibly just a week later, there was another incident of a child being bitten by one of the cubs. If you go to the link you will see a child walk around behind the guide to a tiger cub while the guide is not paying attention.  When the child screams the guide whirls and from what ensues and the conversation is it clear that the cub knocked the boy down and bit him on the leg. It is two minutes because it includes where the manager of G.W. Animal Park goes on to tell a story about being bitten by a full grown tiger. To appease the screaming child the manager then brings out a two week old cub which is far below the legal age for such public use. A complaint was filed with USDA and a citation issued on Dec. 5.

September 10, 2011 Wynnewood, OK:  At Joe Schreibvogel’s G.W. Exotic Animal Park a child is bitten by one of the cubs being used in a pay-to-play scheme where the public pays to pet a lion or tiger cub.  You can see the video at TigerCubAbuse.com. You will hear a tour guide who is off camera say that a girl was bitten by one of the cubs who were over the legal age, ranging from 15 to 20 weeks.  (The only legal age in which contact is currently allowed is 8-12 weeks)  A complaint was filed with USDA.  A search of this page will show there have been numerous injuries by cubs from this facility who are bred and used to generate income at both the compound and at malls and fairs across the country.

August 12, 2011 Halifax Township, Dauphin County, PA:  A Harrisburg woman in her twenties is recovering after being bitten by a tiger at the Lake Tobias Wildlife Park where she is a tour guide.  Officials say she climbed over the fence, walked in between the tiger cages and was bitten when she reached in to pet the tigers.  The woman told first responders she has pet the animals hundreds of times before.  She was airlifted to the hospital and will require rehab to regain use of her arm.

July 26, 2011 Tyrone Township, MI:  The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office said a Serval, an African wild cat, has been found in Tyrone Township.  The cat may be sent to a zoo if the owner does not come forward.

July 21, 2011 Hugo, OK: Kelly Miller Circus, a sister circus of Carson & Barnes, had three tigers escape from their enclosure and injure a horse according to the Colorado News.

July 18, 2011 Bela-Bela, Limpopo: Finlay Holden, 5, was mauled by a six-month-old Bengal tiger that got hold of him at the Zebula Golf Estate and Spa near Bela-Bela in Limpopo.  His mother, Claire Holden, said she, her 3-year-old daughter Hannah and Finlay went to look at the two tigers so they could pose with them for pictures.  As Finlay stroked the back of one of the tigers it suddenly turned around and grabbed the boy’s head between its paws.  “The animal’s mouth was wide open over his head,” said Holden. While Finlay yelled hysterically, “Mom, make it stop! Make it stop!”, she tried to pull the growling tiger off her son with her bare hands.  nother tourist ran to the scene and began choking the tiger to make him let go of the terrified child.  Holden said: “My child and I were covered in blood. My little daughter saw everything.”

July 18, 2011 Ajman, United Arab Emirates: Salem Al Sayed, the 2 year old girl’s father, said “Sarah accompanied my brother’s children and the maid to a neighbor’s house to play with the children there. Sarah went innocently towards the lion, which was in a cage which was not properly closed. The lion pounced on the girl and was about to bite her when the maid intervened and saved baby. Effects of the lion’s canines can be cured with time, but the psychological effects of the attack is difficult to heal, as my daughter still suffers from intense fear and starts screaming and crying at any loud sound.” He added “I call upon the concerned authorities to impose controls on breeding wild animals in the homes, this time my baby narrowly escaped death, but what will be the fate of others who may be exposed to similar incidents.”

July 17, 2011 Manchester, IA: The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office says 52-year-old Tom Sellner suffered lacerations to his head and torso in the brutal tiger attack at Cricket Hollow Zoo in Manchester.  The Des Moines Register wrote that Sellner and his wife ?are routinely bitten or clawed and that in this incident, the tiger had ripped the meat from the bone of his upper arm, had practically scalped him with front teeth the size of knife blades. His left ear dangled from his head.  Sellner, who was found to be in violation of Iowa’s Dangerous Wild Animal law, was flown to an Iowa City hospital for treatment.  The zoo’s website says it has more than 300 birds and animals, including tigers, African lions and other exotic cats.

July 10, 2011 Eynsford, England:  The zoo has been in trouble with local authorities about their perimeter fence being inadequate.  A bystander said, “The staff were jokingly describing that they were filming the cheetahs to prove to the local authority that they were friendly,” when one of the cheetahs attacked the two men who had gone in to film.  Mr Cooper added: “The cheetah had taken quite a few bites and scratches from both the cameraman and the trainer, ripping the shorts off one in one close swipe of the paw. The two men managed to sit on the cheetahs head while another member of staff ran for a fire extinguisher. He was very lucky to escape with his life.”

July 8, 2011 Smolensk, Russia:  Russian police said they would not be charging the owners of a circus where a leopard mauled a small girl, as the law failed to provide adequately for such an event.  The incident took place in Smolensk, a city some 400 km to the southwest of Moscow. The leopard bit the girl’s thigh and scratched her shin before being restrained by circus staff.  “Russian law does not provide any clear description of how to act with regard to wild animals, including in a circus, and does not state any punishment for the owner of an animal that attacks a person,” said Alexander Borovikov, a senior aide to the prosecutor for the Smolensk Region.

May 6, 2011 Wichita, KS:  A first-grade student on a class field trip to a Wichita zoo was mauled by a leopard after climbing a railing and approaching the animal.  Sedgwick County Zoo spokesman Jim Marlett says the boy climbed over the 4- to 5-foot railing and approached the Amur leopard. The leopard grabbed him around the head with both paws and tried to bite him.  A woman on the zoo’s tram saw what was happening and spooked the leopard.  The child suffered lacerations and puncture wounds to his head and neck. He was listed in fair condition.  The boy’s age hasn’t been released. There were several school groups at the zoo including his group from Linwood Elementary.

January 31, 2011 Longview, WA: An illegally kept serval was found running loose near Pacific Way and Sunset Way after escaping roughly a week earlier from his owner’s home on Nevada Dr.  Throughout the week, Rajah, an African serval, had been showing up on people’s backyard decks in the Columbia Heights area, startling neighbors who suspected he might be a cheetah, Humane Society Director Rick Johnson said.   An animal control officer and local veterinarian caught it after setting a trap baited with cat food.  Johnson said Rajah’s owner does not have permits to own the cat, and Humane Society officials are researching what permits the owners need to legally keep it.

2010

December 4, 2010 Union Grove, AL: Frank Harmes is recovering after being attacked by a black panther near his Marshall County home. He was walking his dog in a cove behind his home near Morgan City when he heard something behind him and turned to see a black panther. (if black it would have been a black leopard or black jaguar) Harmes says he moved to try to scare the big cat away, but instead it attacked and clawed his leg. He says he stabbed the animal twice with a knife and it ran away. Residents of the area have reported seeing panthers in the past, saying they sometimes come out looking for food.

Read more: http://tdn.com/news/local/article_0aa324aa-2dba-11e0-9065-001cc4c002e0.html

Dec. 4, 2010 Cincinnati, OH: A  serval found in Blanchester has been returned to its owner.  Eris, a female serval, was found inside a barn on Tuesday morning hovering over a domestic cat she had just killed. Ohio initiated a ban on such animals in 2010. The cat had escaped nine days before.  Under bans, owners are allowed to keep their exotic pets until they die, but cannot replace them.  This site had a poll and the results showed 87% of the voters believe that people should not be able to possess wild animals as pets.

November 27, 2010 Readstown, Wisconsin: The USDA cited the licensees of Kicckapoo Bobcat & Lynx, exotic animal breeders, for failing to demonstrate adequate experience and knowledge of a wild animal when a volunteer was scratched on the face by a bobcat while trying to place water in the enclosure.

November 19, 2010 San Antonio, TX: A cougar escaped from the Wild Animal Orphanage while cages were being moved. Law enforcement officers searched for the animal for eight hours, during which time the cougar attacked and nearly killed a puppy. Area schools were put on alert, and recess was canceled at the elementary school. The cougar was ultimately tranquilized and recaptured.

Oct. 31, 2010 Belize:  A killing by an escaped4 year old, 130 lb jaguar named Max, is the latest, sad episode in a too-often-repeated series of ill-fated, cross-species encounters that usually end badly for humans and almost always worse for wild animals.  The tragedy that could have been averted if people only learned from past experience that large predators belong in their native habitat, never in cages.  Max was kept in captivity by filmmakers Richard and Carol Foster, who produced wildlife documentaries for National Geographic and escaped after winds from Hurricane Richard toppled a tree onto his cage.   The cat attacked a dog owned by the Fosters’ U.S.-born neighbor, Bruce Cullerton, and when Cullerton tried to save his pet the jaguar pounced, dragged him into the bushes and bit him savagely on the arms and neck.  After authorities found Cullerton’s mangled body they baited a steel-mesh trap, re-captured the jaguar and killed it – the circle of life, wild-animal-in-captivity style.  Says the reporter, “I’ve never been a huge fan of wildlife documentaries since I always suspected filmmakers used captive animals for much of their footage, and the Fosters’ episode would seem to confirm my suspicion.”

Oct. 31, 2010 So Africa:  Three lions proved who’s at the top of the food chain when they pulled an inebriated worker who was taunting them into their enclosure and devoured him before his horrified friend, authorities said.  30 year old Jan Bredenhand, who had been working as the restaurant manager for the Addo Croc and Lion Ranch near Port Elizabeth, South Africa, for just one month, returned from an all-night party Sunday morning and hopped on a gate around the lions enclosure when he was attacked by three lions. It was the second mauling death of a worker by lions at the park in six years. “It was horrific,” one of the tourists, Veluchia Hassim told South Africa’s News 24 TV. “The one lion was gnawing on his ribs when we got there.”

October 22, 2010 Rock Springs, WI: A volunteer at Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue and Education Center was severely bitten by an adult tiger who grabbed the man’s arm and pulled it into the cage while the man was providing water to the big cat. Other volunteers helped the victim extract his arm from the cage, and the man was flown by helicopter to a hospital where he underwent surgery on his hand and arm.

Oct. 21, 2010 Youngsville, LA: Authorities say an exotic cat, they think is a Serval, is on the loose, forcing an elementary school to keep its students indoors as officials worked to capture the cat. The Daily Advertiser reports that the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Broussard Police Department, Youngsville Police Department and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries were on the scene. Sheriff’s deputies say the serval, a cheetah-like cat and native of Africa, likely got loose from its owner, who was not identified.

Oct. 4, 2010 S. Africa: Russell Lissack, guitarist for indie bands Ash and Bloc Party, was hospitalized with a nasty bite – from a lion! Lissack was on tour with Ash in South Africa, when he and singer Tim Wheeler decided to visit a wild animal pay to play farm.  At the facility, Lissack was playing with a lion cub when the creature bit him, drawing blood. He was driven to a local hospital for a tetanus booster but after being admitted the hospital was sealed off when two patients died from an unidentified virus. Finally, when Lissack was released, the band was involved in a car accident on the way back to their hotel.

Oct. 3, 2010 Idaville, IN: Two tigers escapedat Great Cats of Indiana.  Two 900-to-1,000-pound tigers escaped from a cage at a private menagerie called Great Cats of Indiana. The tigers pushed out the corner post of a cage, which was held together with approximately 10 16-penny nails. The tigers were reportedly acting aggressively and were shot by the facility’s owner.  One tiger was killed after being shot four times in the head and twice in the body with a .223 rifle and twice in body with a 12-gauge shotgun. The other sustained a wound to the abdomen from a 12-gauge shotgun. The tigers were loose for at least 13 hours before they were shot.   Sources say that the Indiana DNR and USDA were alerted later and that Joe Taft was offering to take in all of the cats and bears from Great Cats of Indiana.  In Feb. 2010 the USDA revoked the license of Great Cats of Indiana for a long list of violations of the Animal Welfare Act as it pertained to more than 50 big cats and bears.

Oct. 2, 2010 Western Ukraine: L’viv Circus; In this circus lion attack video Trainer Oleksie Pinko can be seen knocked to the ground as he desperately tries to herd the lions out of the ring. Pinko was taken by ambulance to a local hospital for emergency surgery. The videographer, Doug Shepherd said, “I’ve been to some great circus performances there. My son said, ‘I don’t want to go the circus ever again,’ and I don’t blame him.” Circus workers quickly washed down the circus ring to remove traces of the attack.

Sept. 5, 2010 West Orange, NJ: Patrons and staff had a scare at Essex County’s Turtle Back Zoo after a leopard escaped, causing the zoo to be locked down and patrons moved to safe areas. Megan, an Amur leopard, slipped from the sight of her caretakers and hid behind a retaining wall in a zoo service building. The zoo closed down for about 45 minutes while personnel sedated the leopard. The zoo says the leopard was never in danger of harming the public, but eye witnesses who posted in the comments section say otherwise.

Sept. 2, 2010 Las Vegas, NV: An MGM Grand hotel official, Yvette Money, says an animal trainer received emergency hospital care for a bite on the leg after an attack by a lion in a glassed display on the Las Vegas Strip. The lions are bred for photo ops with the public and are owned by Keith Evans who warehouses the adults in the desert on 8.5 ac. 12 miles away. There was some connection to Feld Entertainment at some point in the past as they were seeking shelter for 60+ second hand lions.  See Attack Video

September 1, 2010 Las Vegas, NV: Numerous visitors looked on as an adult male lion attacked a trainer at the MGM Grand lion habitat. The victim was treated at a hospital and received stitches for a bite on the leg.

August 30, 2010 Springfield, OH: German Township’s Cindy Shaffer said Serafina disappeared from her Clark County home as she was letting the dogs out. The exotic cat had been missing since July.  Serafina was 9 months old, declawed and had on a blue collar. Shaffer worried the collar might become too tight for her, as she grew. In the last two months, police said there had been a few sightings of Serafina. Police said some residents were in a state of panic. “People are worried about their dogs, and if they need to keep them in,” said German Township Police Lt. Michael Stitzel. If sighted call her owner, Cindy Shaffer at (937) 346-4995, or the Clark County Sheriff at (937) 328-2560.

August 28, 2010 Miami, FL: Visitors to Miami’s Jungle Island stampeded over each other to avoid an escaped, 3 yr old, 500 lb. tiger named Mahesh. A monkey escaped while being transported through the zoo and 500 lb. Mahesh bounded over the 14-foot fence into the public area according to the Miami Herald. The attraction’s three big cats — which include a liger and a white tiger — have been confined to a “night kennel,” while the park investigates. “We were really scared. There were people crying,” Miami mom Dorothy Evans told the Herald, adding that people knocked each other down as they sprinted toward the shelter. “People were running for their lives,” Larry Rhodes, 46, of Pompano Beach, told the Sun Sentinel. Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Ignatius Carroll told the Herald that several people were injured while running, including a mother who fell on top of her 15-month old baby. Another guest was taken to a Miami hospital after suffering a panic attack.  Bhagavan (Kevin) Antle, who also owns T.I.G.E.R.S. in Myrtle Beach, SC and who is the owner of Mahesh, was charged with one count of maintaining captive wildlife in an unsafe condition, resulting in threats to public safety. Park owner Bern M. Levine was charged with two second-degree misdemeanors for conditions resulting in the animals’ escape. The charges for both men have a maximum penalty of $500, FWC officer Pino said.

August 23, 2011 Weedsport, NY: A serval escaped from an enclosure through a gap in the fencing and was killed on the highway.

June 23, 2010 Quebec, Canada: Jonas, a tiger, along with two camels, Sean and Todd, were inadvertently abducted in central Quebec when thieves made off with a pickup truck and trailer as the trio of animals were being brought back from the Maritimes to the zoo in Bowmanville.  They were later found alive and returned to the zoo.

June 22, 2010 Jakarta: Indonesian police have arrested Akmamul Mukminin, 24, who allegedly poisoned and skinned a critically endangered Sumatran tiger in a state-owned zoo.  He could face up to five years in jail and a fine of $11,000 dollars for killing a protected animal.  The suspect allegedly killed the tiger, named Shella, in August in Taman Rimbo zoo, Jambi province, by placing poisoned bait in his enclosure after closing hours.  He then allegedly skinned it on the zoo grounds, aided by two accomplices.

June 14, 2010 Bejing, China: Five tigers mauled a man to death and injured his son in a zoo in China’s Shaanxi province. Xian Qinling Wildlife Park official Jiao Congling said the animals attacked the two after they entered the tigers’ zone. The father died at the scene from bites to the head and neck. “The gate to the tigers’ zone was open, so we walked in. Then the tigers attacked us,” Xinhua quoted the son as saying.

June 13, 2010 Coventry, UK: Police charge Alan Dudley after finding tiger and other animals parts in his suburban garage freezer. An endangered tiger, turtles, lemurs and the remains of a chimpanzee were among an incredible haul of dead exotic animals found by police in the freezer of his suburban house.

May 31, 2010 Brown Co., OH: The Brown County Sheriff today released new information about a mountain lion that’s reportedly running loose in that area. Sheriff Dwayne Wenninger says a Mount Orab resident bought the animal from a flea market in Lucasville, Ohio. It escaped about a month ago. The owner planned to get rid of the cat because it had gotten too aggressive. Officials got calls Wednesday and Thursday mornings saying the animal had been seen around the Rumpke Landfill off Beyers Road near Route 68. Wildlife officials are aware that the lion is loose.

April 23, 2010 Rockwell, NC: A 100-pound tiger broke through plastic glass while being loaded onto a trailer at Tiger World, an unaccredited zoo. For several moments, the escaped tiger was on a leash but not under the control of a handler. The tiger passed 20 to 30 feet directly in front of two families with young children, all of whom ran and hid behind a cash-register area. The USDA later ordered Tiger World to pay a $2,571 penalty for this incident.

April 15, 2010 Beltrami County, MN: Two 100-pound adolescent African lions bumped open a gate and escaped from an enclosure at Paul Bunyan’s Animal Land. The two lions were found wrestling with a dog in the front yard of a home in a residential neighborhood approximately two blocks away.

April 2010 Brown County, OH: A cougar who had been purchased as a ?pet? at a flea market escaped and remained on the loose a month later.

March 24, 2010 Canary Islands: Three tigers that escaped from a zoo in Spain’s Canary Islands have been shot dead by police.  The animals escaped when the enclosure at the Cocodrilos Park zoo was being cleaned by an employee, who mistakenly pushed a button that opened the cage door. The park said in a statement that four of the seven tigers inside the cage stayed put but three escaped.  About 100 police officers were involved in the operation to find the animals.

March 13, 2010 Shanghai: An animal keeper was killed by a Bengal tiger at the Shanghai Zoo after the zookeeper forgot to lock the tiger’s cage.  Li Zhonglin, 53, was mauled by the tiger while cleaning outside the cage with its door unlocked, according to the Shanghai Municipal Management Bureau of Greening and City Appearance.  A visitor told the Shanghai-based Xinmin Evening News that he saw the tiger suddenly jump on the keeper and snap his neck before the man could cry out for help.  The 11-year-old male tiger has lived at the zoo for over a year.  Many people believe the tiger attacked its keeper out of hunger. A zoo cleaner who asked for anonymity told the Global Times that the tigers are usually hungry on Saturdays because the zoo doesn’t feed them on Fridays.

February 19, 2010 Wellington, FL: A Jaguar tore the thumb off of a visitor to Panther Ridge Conservation Center, owned by Judy Berens.  The visitor, whose name wasn’t released, apparently had her fingers curled around an enclosure at Panther Ridge Conservation Center when a jaguar grabbed her hand and tore off her thumb, said Gabriella Ferraro, spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.  It is the third time since 2005 that wildlife officials have been called to the roughly 10-acre compound off Palm Beach Pointe Boulevard. In 2008, Berens was attacked by two cheetahs as she was entertaining visitors in their enclosure. Three years earlier, a 500-pound Bengal tiger escaped from his cage.  Judy Berens had said she was paying $7,500 each for the Jaguars, Aztec and Tia that she bought from Lance Ramos, a circus owner in Balm, FL in 2004.

A   May inspection by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that found Berens had improperly declawed two clouded leopards.  “The procedure is no longer considered to be acceptable when performed solely for handling or husbandry purposes since it can cause considerable pain and discomfort to the animal and may result in chronic health problems,” inspectors wrote.  When Judy Behrens was criticized in 2008 for paying $40,000 for two cheetahs by those who believe it feeds the market for the endangered cats, she insisted she is trying to help protect them by removing them from the wild.  She faces a $500 fine for the loss of the guest’s thumb.

February 4, 2010 Christchurch, New Zealand: Three cheetahs swam a moat and crawled through a hole in a rusty fence at the Orana Wildlife Park.  “Our cheetahs, just like a domestic house cat, they all hate swimming, so if you had asked me yesterday would any of our cheetahs swim I would have said no,” Anderson told National Radio. “They proved us quite wrong.”  After climbing through the hole in the fence, the cats ran in front of a park shuttle bus, causing the driver to jam on his brakes, before they were recaptured.

January 29, 2010 Guwahti: A tigress and her cub slinked out of an enclosure at Assam State Zoo triggering fear among 10,000-plus visitors present. Dibya, the eight-year-old female, had had a taste of human blood two years ago when she mauled a visitor to death along with another tiger.  For an hour and a half, Dibya prowled around the zoo, covering nearly 400 metres, even as visitors screamed and ran helter skelter. The thrilling drama finally ended around 11 am when the Bengal tigers were tranquilized and put back into the cage.

January 21, 2010 Van Zandt County, TX: A 400 lb tiger that had spent the night on the loose has been found and is being held by TX Game Wardens.  She was on the run after escaping her enclosure during yesterday’s storm.  The ownership of exotic wild animals (such as tigers, lions and jaguars) in Texas is allowed by law with a license. The animal also must be registered with the state.

January 10, 2010 Tornoto, Canada: The same Siberian tiger that mauled a 10-year-old Toronto boy six years ago killed his owner, Norman Buwalda, 66, who was listed as the contact person for the Canadian Exotic Animal Owners’ Association.  He had entered the cage to feed the tiger. The tiger mauled a 10-year-old Toronto boy in June of 2004, igniting a heated discussion in Southwold Township on whether exotic animals should be banned from the area. The boy and his family were visiting Mr. Buwalda’s residence when Mr. Buwalda led the tiger out of the cage to allow the boy and his younger siblings to take photos of the animal. The tiger was on a leash but lunged forward, knocking its owner off balance. Residents were furious when the town lost a court case that would have seen Mr. Buwalda’s exotic animals banned.

January 7, 2010 Beijing, China: A  56 year old worker named Ming at Nanhai Wildlife Park in the city of Madian in Henan province was attacked and killed by an African lion while he was cleaning out her cage.  Yang Yang, the nine-year-old African lion, has been placed under quarantine as an investigation into the incident is conducted.
In November, police in northeast China shot dead two Siberian tigers after the animals severely mauled a worker at a wildlife park in Liaoning Province.

2009

December 20, 2009 Germany: A 30 year old, female, Aschersleben zookeeper was taken to hospital in a serious condition after she was mauled by a white tiger named Karim while cleaning out his cage. He had slipped past a gate she left unlatched.  Last year Karim the tiger attacked and killed a Siberian tiger that strayed into his enclosure after a zookeeper mistakenly opened the access gate.

December 10, 2009 Wilmer, AL: The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office was reported by WKRG to have said the tiger was recaptured from escapting John Hightowers’ Mobile Zoo at 15161 Ward Rd. W. Wilmer, AL 36587 but the owner says there was no escape.

December 9, 2009 Hamburg, Germany: Christian Walliser, 28, an experienced tiger trainer, was attacked after he stumbled during the show in Hamburg. The 200 guests watched in horror as Walliser was pinned to the ground by the tigers. The tigers dug their teeth into Walliser’s head and upper body, tearing off most of his left hand. Several of the audience members, including Walliser’s boyfriend, were treated for shock. Doctors amputated Walliser’s left hand and said he had suffered serious head and chest injuries in the attack. He remains in a critical condition.

November 27, 2009 St. Paul, TX: A pet Serval escaped in Collin County.  The cat has been declawed and cannot protect itself, but may act aggressively if it feels threatened. The missing serval is approximately 40 pounds, is orange with black spots, and had on a black collar and a red harness.

November 19, 2009 China: A retired teacher named Zhu lost his fingers trying to touch a caged tiger at a circus. Zhu was seriously injured when the animal grabbed his hand and snapped off four of his fingers at the show in Nankang, Jiangxi province.  The 61-year-old reportedly lost consciousness on the spot and was later paid 3,500 yuan as compensation by the circus officials.

November 13, 2009 China: 2 tigers were killed after mauling a zoo worker at a zoo in Liaoning Province.  The attack is attributed to the tigers being starved. Yang Jingwel, 51, struggled desperately for nearly 15 minutes before zoo workers shot the tigers 10 times with a shotgun. A profusely bleeding Yang was seriously injured on his head, neck, hands, arms and legs, and flesh had been ripped out from the lower part of his face. “He was brought in a coma caused by excessive blood loss,” Dr. Gaoyan at Shenyang Military General Hospital, told the Xinhua News Agency. “His breath and heartbeat could be barely felt.”  “It is possible that the tigersattacked a human being because they are starved,” Wan Dongmei, professor of zoology at Liaoning University said. The zoo administration, which has a poor record of animal feeding, dealt with the revenue shortfall by sacrificing small animals to save the big ones.”Ducks and geese that once amused visitors were fed to the big cats.

November 9, 2009 Las Cruces, AZ: A  bobcat was captured at the former home of an exotic cat breeder named Kelli Perras and another large cat is still on the loose,
according to Doña Ana Sheriff’s Department investigators. The bobcat was isolated in a tree and shot with a tranquilizer dart to capture it without injury, after which it was transported to the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley, and is expected to be sent to a sanctuary.  A  second, larger cat – possibly a pregnant bobcat or mountain lion – may have escaped the residence before investigators arrived. The residence is north of Las Cruces on King Edward Avenue, near the intersection of Doña Ana Road and West Taylor Road.  Perras had cats seized from her in June;  Bengals and Savannahs were transported to the Humane Society of the White Mountains in Lakeside, Ariz., about 130 miles northeast of Phoenix, so that they would not be euthanized.

October 26, 2009 Boca Raton, FL: A  Palm Beach Circuit judge told Redclift, 34, that if, in the next two months, she paid outstanding room and board – already at close to $1,000 – and got the right permit, the state would drop the charge of having Nambi the Serval without a permit.  According to a report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, a neighbor called the agency Sept. 3 to say the owner of a home in the 5100 block of Deerhurst Crescent Circle in Boca Raton had a wild cat for a pet.  The neighbor, who e-mailed photographs of Nambi to the agency, said a person had been hurt by the cat. The FWC waited 20 days to investigate, but when they did Redclift told them the cat was a “Savannah cat” and said she’d brought it from NC.  She admitted it had escaped from the home in Boca Raton and is now trying to have the cat released from the sanctuary where he was placed upon seizure and turned over to a Miami exotic animal dealer.

October 4, 2009 Ross Township, PA: 37-year-old Kelly Ann Walz died after being mauled by her pet black bear.  She was attacked when she entered the bear’s cage to feed the 350-pound animal and clean its cage, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The bear lived in a 15-by-15-foot steel and concrete enclosure on Walz’s property in Ross Township.The homeowner had a permit to keep a Bengal tiger and an African lion too. This incident is not included in the totals as it did not involve a big cat killing, mauling or escaping.

September 30, 2009 Tucson, AZ: People outside a Catalina Foothills home couldn’t believe their eyes. A man was driving through a Catalina Foothills neighborhood and spotted an African Serval. The serval is at the Tucson Wildlife Center, a non-profit sanctuary and rehabilitation center. Lisa Bates-Lininger is founding president of the Tucson Wildlife Center. She says they had to tranquilize the big cat “She could still move and attack and she was really upset with the people around her. So we did tranquilize her and we found nothing wrong with her major,” Bates-Lininger says.  But the serval was in bad shape. “She was dehydrated and tired and just ready to give up. She may have died last night, but luckily we got her in. We got her emergency treatment, fluids for shock,” Bates-Lininger says. She’s also missing a rear leg.

September 29, 2009 Romania: Hunedoara zoo was evacuated after keepers spotted two tigers – a pregnant female and its mate – roaming the zoo.  They were finally shot with tranquiliser darts by zoo keepers who feared they may break out of the zoo and get into the nearby town.

September 10, 2009 Hanoi, Vietnam: A  tiger leaped out of its enclosure at a Vietnam tiger farm and killed a zoo worker and injured another when the cat jumped over the 8.3 foot high, electrified fence to attack the men who were planting trees. The Dai Nam zoo keeps nine adult and seven infant tigers.  In 2007, the communist government allowed some private tiger farms in southern Vietnam to keep dozens of the endangered animals as they were better equipped than state zoos.  Most conservationalists believe that this farming of tigers has been encouraged by China’s efforts to throw off a ban on using tiger parts. The talk of lifting the ban on the trade in tiger parts has increased poaching putting the tiger on the brink of extinction with only 3,500 cats left in the wild and one being killed every day.

August 27, 2009 Harare Zimbabwe, Africa: A lion escaped from its cage at Kyle Recreational Park near Lake Mutirikwi in Masvingo.  4 lions escaped from their cages at Simply Wild a lion breeding scam to provide canned hunts but Parks and Wildlife Management Authority rangers recaptured three. The runaway lions were part of the 59 that were abandoned by Ronnie Sparrow.  The trackers have been authorised to shoot the lion. Ms Washaya-Moyo attributed the escape to vandalism and theft of solar panels that used to provide power to the perimeter electric fence at the breeding cages.

July 29, 2009 Hyderbad, India: A white tiger at the Nehru Zoological Park wrenched the right hand of a drunken visitor when he thrust it into the animal’s enclosure after all the park was closed for the day.  Ramesh lost the muscles on his right hand from forearm almost up to the shoulder and also suffered scratches on his face. He was rushed to Osmania General Hospital where doctors shifted him to the ICU immediately.

July 29, 2009 Las Vegas, NV: A  white tiger that is used in a Las Vegas magic show performed a surprise disappearing act – when it escaped from its cage and went on the prowl.  Terrified residents in the northwest of the city spotted the big cat wandering the streets on Thursday evening.  Police and the Animal Rescue Service were alerted and the tiger was cornered in a family’s back garden.  Police Lt. Les Lane said the cat belonged to Fercos Brothers magic act.  Zuzana Kukol, the owner of the REXANO website that attempts to discredit those who oppose the use of big cats in circus acts, claimed to be training tigers for the 6th generation Fercos Brothers circus act in an online post to a snake owners blog.  The Fercos Brothers operate out of Pahrump, NV and FL at 6155 S.W. 123rd Av Miami, FL 33183. Fercos Brothers Circus has applied to the USFWS repeatedly in an attempt to move tigers in and out of the U.S.  Big Cat Rescue always responds with letters to the USFWS explaining that circus acts do noting to protect tigers in the wild and allowing such movement is only a detriment to both the captive tigers and those in the wild. Check CatLaws.com to send a letter of your own. Mark Smith lztwobits@ claims that Picasso the tiger escaped while being taking out for a walk, rather than from a cage…well that’s reassuring!

May 26, 2009 Zion Wildlife Centre, New Zealand: A zoo-keeper has been mauled to death by a white tiger in the notorious safari park, in the third attack in four months.  The keeper suffered serious “tearing” injuries to his abdomen and lower leg after being attacked when he and another keeper went to clean the enclosure. The man died at the scene before an ambulance arrived at the park. The tiger has since been shot dead.  The zoo which displays 42 lions and tigers has been embroiled in controversy over the last year. In February a keeper was hospitalised after being bitten on the knee while trying to move a tiger between two enclosures.  Demetri Price, a senior zoo-keeper, laughed off the attack at the time, saying he had “no worry at all” about the zoo’s safety.  In April, a Scottish teenager working at the park, Lisa Baxter, was left scarred for life, when Timba, an African white lion, sunk his teeth into both her hands after she put her hands through a hole in the fence designed for television cameras to stroke a cub.  The park is also currently involved in an employment dispute with Craig Busch, whose Lionman television series had an international audience.  A MAF investigation expressed concern that animals were kept in crowded, insanitary conditions.

May 25, 2009 East Liverpool, PA: An 11 year old girl in Columbiana County was flown by helicopter ambulance to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh after either being mauled by a pet mountain lion.  The police spokesman said, “Apparently, someone has it as a pet,” and that the child’s parents took her to the hospital directly from the scene of the incident. He was uncertain where the incident took place.

May 25, 2009 Lisbon, OH: A 10-year-old girl was attacked by a pet cougar while visiting the home of Chris Joseph, a family friend who owned several African lions and cougars. A young male cougar grabbed and released the child’s arm at least three times when she put her hand and arm into a cage containing two of these large predators. In order to release the girl from the cat’s jaws, the friend had to remove a fan that was in front of an opening and crawl into the cage with the animals. The girl was rushed to a local hospital and then airlifted to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. A USDA inspector cited owner Matt Joseph for two direct noncompliances in relation to this incident and warned that because the gate to the barrier fence, which is also the perimeter fence, was unlocked, “anyone could access these animals when the owners are not at home.”

May 24, 2009 Great Bend, KS: Officials at the Great Bend Zoo are trying to figure out how a 150-pound mountain lion escaped from its enclosure.  The 14-year-old female was shot and killed by police after escaping during feeding time. The big cat was frightened and had a history of being somewhat aggressive.

May 24, 2009 Memphis, TN: A Memphis Zoo investigation team said this afternoon that human error led to an incident in which a keeper was bitten by a Bengal tiger.  The keeper failed to close two internal safety doors inside the nighthouse building, according to a report from the team.  When the keeper released two Bengal tigers into their outside exhibit, one of them wandered into the unsecured walkway, encountered the keeper and bit him on his upper-right calf.

May 24, 2009 Næstved Zoo, South Zealand: Tigers mauled, killed and partly ate the body of a former zoo keeper, after he apparently committed suicide in their enclosure.  The body of a former employee of Næstved Zoo was partly eaten by tigers after the man broke into their enclosure on Sunday night.  A source told the newspaper that the body had been badly mauled by the tigers, which ate parts of the man’s legs and lower abdomen.  The man had been employed as an animal keeper at the South Zealand zoo for ten months, where he was described as having a deep fascination with the zoo’s Bengalese tigers. Zoo owner Peter Bo Rasmussen said that the death was a tragedy but it would not affect the way staff interact with the animals.

May 3, 2009 New Orleans, LA: Linda Authement of Violet said the recent discovery of her cat, Raja, with a hole in its head has her both heartbroken and angry.  Her $3,500 Savannah cat escaped and was allegedly shot by her neighbor Rene Paul Desselle. The Savannah cat is a crossbreed between a Serval African wild cat and domestic cats. They can weigh up to 25 pounds and are spotted.

May 2, 2009 Christmas, FL: Wildlife officials are looking for a pregnant cougar that escaped into the woods in central Florida while being transferred to a cage.  The cougar, owned by Jacob Kagan’s Jungle Adventures, escaped while being prepared for a trip to the veterinarian for a cesarean section. The cougar named Sierra is declawed, wearing a collar and in need of emergency surgery. Anyone seeing the cougar is urged to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922.  The Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission permits cougars as pets in FL despite public outcry against the practice.  Jungle Adventures is located at 26205 E. Hwy 50 Christmas, FL 32709.

April 24, 2009 CO: A volunteer was bitten by a tiger at Big Cats of Serenity Springs located at 24615 Scott Road in Calhan.  He says ge got too close to the cage while cleaning, but one has to wonder how the cat got his mouth around the man’s arm, if it wasn’t in the cage.  This isn’t the first tragedy to occur there either;  on June 30, 2003 two tigers severely mauled an employee of Big Cats of Serenity Springs as he entered their cage. The employee was knocked down by one tiger and suffered a mangled leg and scalp injuries. As a result, the tigers were beaten with shovels and later killed.

April 17, 2009 Jacksonville, FL: A jaguar at the Jacksonville Zoo escaped from an enclosure through a hole in the fence. The hole may have been made by a groundskeeper. The jaguar was captured in a net and returned to the enclosure.

March 23, 2009 Wylie, TX: Two tigers and one lion were saved from starvation by USDA and placed at another sanctuary that claims it is in serious financial trouble  The tigers’ teeth had been ground down, and the end of the lion’s tail was raw from the cat’s worried chewing. The big cats were seized by the USDA from Marcus Cook – who has been under the federal government’s scope for years.  One concern raised was that of a video that showed a tiger biting a trainer. Cook has leased his exotic cats to zoos and theme parks.  At one point, he allowed the public to pet the animals as part of the exhibit.  Now, he faces allegations of abusing several of his large cats.  Rescuers said the large cats are recovering from one of the worst cases of abuse they have seen.  In court documents, Cook has been accused of housing tigers and lions in dangerous and filthy cages. In one case, lions were reportedly forced to live in standing water for days.  In another, documents said a tiger escaped and injured a worker.  Federal agents have tried to revoke Cook’s business license, but Cook has appealed, which allows him to stay in business.

March 17, 2009 Lehigh Acres, FL: David Piper says he received a call from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Investigator Lar Gregory on March 11, asking him if he would rescue and rehabilitate two female mountain lions being kept as pets at a home in Lehigh Acres.  Gregory said the home did not meet spacing requirements for keeping large cats.  (FL cage size only reguires 10 x 20 feet) The owner of the cats, John Wein, says he’s always had a fascination with large cats.  He bought the mountain lions from a supplier when they were still kittens. He had them spayed and declawed.  When they were small, he kept them in his house. But as they got bigger, they had to be caged outside. David Piper says he found the cats in unfit condition. Cherokee had an injury to her palm that had become infected. The bite had come from one of Wein’s dogs. The other, Scout, was very thin and apparently malnourished.

March 16, 2009 Sydney, Austraiia: A 9 year old lioness named Jamelia was shot dead after escaping from her enclosure at the Mogo Zoo, forcing dozens of visitors to hide inside buildings.  Jamelia was shot dead. “It’s an absolute loss, the team are still quite upset,” he added. “She was a very important animal and loved by the entire team.”

March 8, 2009 Australia: A tiger tamer wannabee needed stitches to an arm gash after being scratched by a Sumatran tiger in a play session at Australia Zoo.  Zoo director Wes Mannion said the tiger was a young male called Juma, which had been hand raised at the zoo since arriving as a cub. The tiger incident follows a January scare at the zoo when a reptile handler required treatment in Nambour General Hospital after being bitten by a brown snake while he was trying to feed it a mouse.

March 8, 2009 China: A Siberian tiger at a wildlife park near Beijing attacked and killed a man who climbed into its enclosure thinking he found a shortcut down from the Great Wall.  The 20-year-old man, surnamed Guo, had been hiking with two other people when the group decided to jump down to save time on the descent — unknowingly landing themselves in Badaling Wildlife World’s tiger enclosure.  The tiger pounced on Guo, knocking him down and clamping its jaws around his throat. Guo was killed instantly.  The two men who escaped told police they had seen signs around the enclosure cautioning of predatory animals but did not believe the warnings because they could not see any.

February 26, 2009 Lakemoor, IL: The head of a white tiger was found off a busy highway near Lakemoor and is thought to have bounced out of the back of a truck.  Police aren’t saying who owns the cat, if it lived as a pet in the area or if it was killed in a hunt.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials said they knew who the owner was and that it was legal to return the head to the owner.  Whether it was legal to have the cat in the first place is still unclear.  Jeff Squibb, an Illinois Department of Agriculture spokesman, said a federal permit must be obtained for a private property owner to keep dangerous animals in the state.  Under the federal government’s Captive Wildlife Safety Act, it’s illegal to import, export, buy, sell, transport, receive or acquire certain big cats across state lines or the U.S. border. There are exemptions for certain entities and individuals, such as zoos, circuses, wildlife sanctuaries meeting specific criteria and state-licensed veterinarians.  Lions, tigers, leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards, jaguars, cheetahs and cougars are covered by the federal act, as well as hybrids of the species.  But the act doesn’t ban big feline ownership.  Update:  A man from Hebron in McHenry County called to claim the skin and head that he intended to have made into a rug. He received it from a veterinarian who put down a tiger owned by Hawthorn Corp., a facility near Richmond that raises white tigers and elephants for circuses.

February 21, 2009 Oakley, KS: For almost 20 years Jeffrey Harsh has owned the Prairie Cat Animal Refuge.  It is next door to his Free Breakfast Hotel and a junk yard.  When Harsh came over to feed the animals that night, he noticed the perimeter fence was open and he heard screaming. “It (the lion) had him (the victim) by the arm. I broke him lose from the animal by whacking her over the head (with a steel pipe.) There was a major tear in his arm,” Harsh said. Thomas County Sheriff Rod Taylor says long before this attack the county has tried to shut the refuge down. The lions have bitten two other people. Due to the attack, Harsh agreed to give up the cats to avoid exotic animal charges. He says it’s probably a good time to do it because it’s getting too expensive to feed them.

February 19, 2009 New Orleans, LA: Zoo veterinarians caught a 22-pound African Serval in Uptown New Orleans, not far from the home of Wayne del Corral who was taken to court last year for keeping a Serval at his home. Corral said the cat found this week isn’t his. He said Wednesday that his own serval escaped more than four months ago in Hammond.  However, authorities say its age, sex, condition, temperament and the fact that all four feet were declawed, are “eerily similar” to the animal caught last year in the same area.  Heidi Heyns, 48, who lives nearby, said she saw a woman carrying a bag of raw meat and looking under houses in the area several days ago. The woman said she was looking for a lost cat described as looking like a Cheetah.  “She said not to approach it, that it might not be real friendly.”

February 18, 2009 New Zealand: A 260kg tiger named Abu, at the Zion Wildlife Gardens, latched its huge jaws into Demetri Price’s knee.  Dalu Mncube, the zoo’s most experienced big-cat keeper, plunged his fingers into the gap between the tiger’s 75mm-long teeth, before using a fire extinguisher to force the animal to release the 30 yr old Price. The Australian said Abu got scared while he was being moved and bit him four times. “It happened in a flash”  Abu is not one of the tigers that interact with the public because of his tendency to get frightened. The park is the subject of an ownership dispute between Lion Man Craig Busch and his mother, Patricia Busch.  Mr Busch was also criticised last April for failing to notify the Labour Department when a white lion bit a guide.

February 12, 2009 Hamilton Co. TX: Sheriff Gregg Bewley said the 300 lb tiger, removed from a flimsy 15 x 24 ft cage at 2842 County Road 203, is underweight and has hookworms, but is doing alright. Sheriff’s deputies determined the tiger’s cage was not up to code.  The cat’s owner had not registered with the sheriff’s office as required by state health and safety codes, he said. The owner is said to be out of the country.  Four charges have been filed related to keeping the tiger and failing to report it. The county judge awarded the tiger to the Humane Society who is looking for a sanctuary that can take the cat.

February 11, 2009 Omaha, NE: Dr Doug Armstrong, a 25 year veteran vet at the Henry Doorly Zoo, was bitten by an unconscious, 20-month-old, 200-pound male Malaysian tiger during a routine medical examination.  Armstrong, 57, was taken to Creighton Medical Center in serious condition.  The zoo’s director, Dr. Lee Simmons, said Armstrong was bitten on the right forearm — apparently as a reflex. After the tiger was weighed, workers were moving him to a sleeping cage when he turned his head, grabbed Armstrong’s arm and chomped. “The tiger bit Armstrong three times, and it was pretty severe,” Simmons said.

February 6, 2009 Staten Island, NY: A 30-pound bobcat that had been running free for weeks in Grasmere is now at a Long Island wildlife refuge.  The yearling, female bobcat, which was declawed, was a pet before she was released to fend for herself.  The cat is underweight and had been prowling around Brady’s Pond behind Fingerboard Road since last Thanksgiving. She was trapped by a homeowner and turned over to Animal Care and Control. Several neighborhood residents said the cat was once the pet of a couple that split up. Left with an owner that didn’t want her, the bobcat was turned loose.

February 2, 2009 Troy, AL: A child was clawed by a leopard at the McClelland Critters zoo when the owner of the facility took visitors behind the barrier that separates the animals from the public.

January 29, 2009 CO: Sandra Lee Jacobson, 40, is suspected in a hit and run Wednesday that killed two Connecticut librarians Kathy Krasniewicz, 54, and Kate McClelland, 71 and she is facing a jury trial in March on a charge of illegal possession of a tiger cub.  Authorities found a 4-month-old male tiger in a south Centennial home. Police began investigating the home after someone gave the Colorado Department of Wildlife photos taken with a cellphone showing the tiger being driven around Centennial in an SUV.  Jacobson, who faces charges of vehicular homicide and driving under the influence, remains in jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

January 25, 2009 Thailand: Ruth Corlett, 45, was at one of those pay to play schemes called Khumsu Chiang Mai Tiger Centre (like the Tiger Temple) with her family when the one year old female tiger named Pancake mauled her leg.  Daniel Charman was horrified when the tiger attacked his friend and credits his large size, and leaping onto the tiger, with keeping the tiger from successfully dragging Corlett away.  He hoisted Corlett onto his shoulders and out of the cage.  Mrs Corlett was rushed to hospital, where she received 54 stitches on the wound. “Pancake has never bitten anyone before, despite being played with by tourists very often,” the staff member said.  Local Thai media reported that Mr Corlett is looking to sue the Khumsu Chiang Mai Tiger Centre.

January 18, 2009 Ingram, TX: Kimra a 300 lb pet tiger escaped from Anke Leitner and was captured in the yard of 79 year old Mildred Crenshaw on Beaver St.  The cage fell apart and the tiger hopped out at feeding time. “That’s a terrible feeling to wake up with police surrounding your house, and to look out your window and see a tiger standing there.  Nobody came to my door. Nobody called,” said Crenshaw, who went on to say that Leitner’s tiger has been a cause of concern for years to nearby residents, some of whom appealed to county and state leaders to no avail.  “Regardless of if she has the right permits and everything else, I don’t think anybody should have one, period,” Crenshaw said. “They’re not pets.”

January 18, 2009 Thurmont near Frederick, MD: 32-year-old Deborah Gregory of Severn was in critical condition at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma unit after she was attacked by a jaguar at the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo, a private zoo owned by the Richard Hahn family since 1965 in Maryland that encourages up-close encounters with its animals. “She was inside the jaguar enclosure and hadn’t secured the area where she was working,” said Harold Domer, executive director of Frederick County Animal Control. The woman suffered several bite wounds, he said, and her condition was critical Sunday evening.  Two jaguars (Diego 10 and Evita 12) were in the enclosure at the time.  Marc Bekoff, a retired University of Colorado professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and the author of “The Emotional Lives of Animals,” said “She’s lucky she’s alive. You’re keeping these wide-ranging carnivores in prisons. You never know what’s going on in the heads of these animals.”

January 8, 2009 Salem, OR: During a USDA inspection, exhibitor James Wise was demonstrating to the inspector how he gave an adult male tiger a pill. When Wise turned around, the tiger lunged at him, bit his forearm, and pushed him into a fence. Wise hit the tiger on the face until he released his grip long enough for Wise to escape the enclosure.

January 7, 2009 Mexico City, Mexico: A tiger bit a young man who climbed over a fence and entered its enclosure at Mexico City’s Chapultepec Zoo.  Zookeepers tranquilized the big cat, pulled the man out of the enclosure and had him taken to a hospital for treatment of his wounds.  The Chapultepec Zoo is the largest zoo in Latin America. It opened in 1923, has more than 2,000 animals from over 200 species on display and is free for residents, with an estimated 5.5 million to 8 million people visiting each year.

Date in 2009 unknown Kragga Kamma Game Park in South Africa:  Michelle Bodenheimer was mauled by an 18-month old cheetah cub while at the Kragga Kamma Game Park in South Africa.  The cubs were named Ranger and Strike.   “I had a claw come across the top of my head leaving me with a three or four inch gash to my scalp,” she said.  She required dozens of stitches and says park authorities made her a promise after the mauling.  “They basically said it was clear those cats were too big, too strong, and too playful,” she said. “It was too dangerous to have them with people.”

2008

December 26, 2008 Mexico City, Mexico: Lions and tigers were confiscated during drug raid.  A gardener detained along with more than a dozen members of an alleged drug trafficking ring testified that police threatened him to feed him to lions and tigers during a raid at a Mexico City mansion. The gardener, Fernando Maya, testified that police dragged him to cages with lions and tigers and threatened to throw him inside. “They kept saying, where is he? And that they were going to throw me to the lions, they were going to throw me to the tigers, which had not eaten.”  Eleven Colombians, a U.S. citizen, two Mexicans an Uruguayan were detained in the raid. Prosecutors said the gang allegedly arranged for cocaine shipments from Colombia to Mexico’s Beltran Levya cartel.

December 12, 2008 Las Vegas, NV: Numerous visitors looked on as a lion attacked and bit a trainer on the leg during a feeding at the MGM Grand lion habitat. Another trainer intervened by hitting the lion on the nose. The victim sustained injuries requiring stitches.

December 9, 2008 Albion, IN: Noble County 911 Director Mitch Fiandt said an18-year-old female tiger escaped from the Black Pine Animal Park.  Park officials say the tiger returned to the property 8 hours later and was back in its enclosure about an hour after that.  An Albion firefighter alerted authorities after spotting the tiger on his property.  Authorities shot the tiger with a tranquilizer, but were not immediately able to capture it.

December 8, 2008 Hamilton TWP, NJ: Santa Claus bit by pet bobcat in Petsmart.  Scratches and bites cover the hand and arm of Jonathan Bebbington, after being mauled by a pet bobcat who was brought to Petsmart for a photo session.  Bebbington says, “It hurt, it had a lot of power in its jaws.”  He struggled to control the cat for nearly 5 minutes while it bit him repeatedly. “He locked on here, grabbed the skin,” he says as he points to his left hand. The cat’s owner left after the incident without providing her name, though she did tell volunteers with Penny Angel’s Beagle Rescue, which ran the event, that she had it shipped from Wyoming for $1,500. It is illegal to own a bobcat in New Jersey and allegedly this owner was keeping hers tethered in yard. There have been other cases of bobcats in South Jersey, including Mr. Peepers at the Cape May County Park Zoo, which was rescued from Bridgeton. Anyone with information about the bobcat or its owner should call the Atlantic County Division of Public Health at (609) 645 5931.

December 6, 2008 Wisconsin Dells, WI: Alan Borud was greeted by a 50 lb Siberian Lynx in his yard.  Borud watched as the cat came up on the porch, stood on its hind legs, at which point it was about chest high to Borud, and looked in the window. He called DNR who took the cat to a local humane society.  Big Cat Rescue called the authorities and offered a home to the cat, but Derick Duane of the McKenzie Wildlife Center said the owner, Mark Schoebel, of Timbavati Wildlife Park in Lake Delton, was coming to retrieve her. They have had issues with Mark Schoebel, and have taken our name as a placement option if the owner cannot keep the Siberian Lynx contained.  The Siberian Lynx escaped while Mark Schoebel was transporting the cat to the Wisconsin Dells resort where he sets up regularly with his pay to pet and play booth.  He typically uses lions and tigers for this activity as they are bigger money makers.  Mark Schoebel is under investigation for illegal movement of exotic animals and plead guilty to providing bears for slaughter in the 1990s.

November 29, 2008 Cass, WV: Davide Cassell killed his pet tiger today said Hoy Murphy, spokesman for the state Division of Natural Resources.  Murphy said the snowmaking crew at Snowshoe Mountain Resort saw the big cat on Monday morning.  Cassell, who works at Mountain Lodge on Snowshoe Mountain, was trying to find the animal and tranquilize it, but ended up killing the cat instead.  Cassell had a permit for the animal.  In May 2006, an Asian brown bear owned by Cassell escaped and the 400-pound bear was not seen again.

November 29, 2008 Jacksonville, FL: Two bobcats at the Jacksonville Zoo escaped from an enclosure and into the zookeepers’ work area when a keeper left the enclosure door open. One of the bobcats was able to escape onto zoo grounds through another door that had been left open to the outside. The zoo was placed on lockdown and visitors were required to stay inside shops and restaurants. After nearly an hour, the bobcat was tranquilized and recaptured. November 27, 2008 Kansas City, KS: An exotic African cat (a Serval) roaming a Kansas City neighborhood has been shot and killed by police. Residents worried the cat was dangerous to children. But efforts to trap it over several weeks were unsuccessful, and an officer shot it Thursday with a patrol rifle.  Police think the cat was dumped or had escaped from people who were keeping it as a pet. The identity of the owners is not known.

November 26, 2008 Harrisburg, PA: A Chester County farm caretaker says he thought he was shooting a bobcat in the chicken coop — then his heart sank when he saw it had a collar.  The animal he killed was a Serval cat that someone was keeping as a pet.  Heim says once he realized he’d shot a pet, he was sad for the animal — and angry at its owner for allowing it to be out.

November 19, 2008 Columbus, GA: Wildlife officials say a cougar killed at West Point Lake was an illegal pet.  The 140-pound, 88-inch cat was shot by deer hunter David Adams of Newnan on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land near the Georgia-Alabama border.  Officials said the cat had not been living on wild game and had callouses indicative of living on concrete her whole life.

November 15, 2008 Miami, FL: A 16-year-old girl mauled by a 150-pound cougar required more than two hours of surgery to repair a large gash in the back of her neck suffered when the animal clenched its powerful jaws around her head. “It’s really a miracle that she’s alive,” said a family spokesman. Because the male cougar, named Chaos, was declawed, the girl did not suffer scratches to her face or body.  Saturday’s attack was witnessed by the girl’s mother, who had brought her daughter to work cleaning out cages at a private wild animal sanctuary in a North Miami-Dade home to earn community service hours required to graduate from high school. The cougar lunged at the teen in the yard of the home of Alan Rigerman who keeps the animals at his home in the 17900 block of Northwest 84th Avenue.  Rigerman owns a second cougar, snakes, tortoises and alligators. The girl and her mother had been brought to the home by Anthony Zitnick, 21, who after the attack was arrested on a charge of burglary of an occupied dwelling. Rigerman told The Miami Herald that Zitnick entered the property with a key he had given him after Hurricane Wilma in 2005, but that Zitnick only helped with the animals while under Rigerman’s “supervision.”  Zitnick casually knew the girl’s mother and had asked her if any of her children would be interested in the nonpaying job.  The girl and her mother had no idea Mr. Zitnick did not belong on the premises, which they entered with a key. Chaos got agitated, suddenly lurched and pinned the girl, and put his mouth around her head. A neighbor who heard the girl’s screams jumped over the fence and helped free her from Chaos’ jaws by punching the animal in the face. At the time of Saturday’s attack, Rigerman was out of town at a reptile show in Tampa. Rigerman often attends public meetings of Florida’s Wildlife Conservation Commission praising them for their lax regulations and enforcement and opposing new rules that would curb his behavior.  He has publicly threatened other attendees who favor tougher regulations.

November 16, 2008 Luray, VA: A 15 year old keeper lost her finger to a 5 year old tiger named Star at the Luray Zoo located at 1087 US Hwy 211 West, in Luray, Virginia 22835 owned by Mark Kilby and Jennifer Westhoff.  She was showing off and petting the cat in front of visitors at the time.  The Page County Sheriff’s Office says the girl’s finger was amputated as result of a tiger bite. The private zoo’s web page is covered in pictures of people petting exotic cats and behaving recklessly.  The Luray Zoo has frequently employed people as young as 14, said Kilby. It is a violation of VA’s Dept. of Labor laws that teens under 18 work in any “occupation that exposes them to a recognized hazard capable of causing serious physical injury or death.”  Kilby declined to discuss whether the zoo carries insurance for such attacks.  Besides the tiger, the zoo’s 37 mammals include five other breeds of what Kilby terms “big cats” – two lynxes, one serval and one bobcat.

November 14, 2008 Camperdown, So. Africa: 12 lions escaped the Lion Park after a storm downed the fences. Ten lions have been recaptured and are being kept in cages, while two others are still roving about the reserve. “Two lions were found at the front gate [of the park] and this was when we first became aware that the others might have escaped,” Boswell said. A search party of about 20 Lion Park staff members, a helicopter pilot and a district official from Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) conservation authority searched for the remaining 10 lions throughout the morning. The police and the EKZNW officials were notified, but were asked NOT to alert the public of the potential danger lurking in the tall grass. Boswell said that the park did not want to involve the public because they did not wish to cause public panic.

November 13, 2008 Singapore: Three white tigers mauled Nordin Bin Montong, 32, a Malaysian working as a cleaner at the zoo, to death after the man jumped into their enclosure. “Keepers managed to separate the worker from the tiger. While waiting for the ambulance, our vets attended to him,” said Guha. “The worker tragically succumbed to his wound.” Nordin was seen behaving in an agitated manner before he fell into the moat. Terrified visitors near the section watched the vicious attack in horror and screamed, the paper said. Aziz Ansari, 16, a student, filmed the initial part of the horrific attack with his handphone. The video clip showed Mr Nordin’s desperate fight to save himself, first by trying to get up and back into the moat, then by kicking one of the two tigers.

November 11, 2008 Mexico City, Mexico: A tiger escaped from an unlocked cage at a commercial zoo and fatally mauled its caretaker before it was captured and killed.  State officials said that Bioparque Estrella had closed Monday when the tiger escaped his unlocked cage and fatally attacked 26-year-old Herminio Rodriguez Palma.  Some 150 police officers and zoo veterinarians began an intense search for the tiger at the 740-acre wild animal park in the countryside northwest of Mexico City. Mexico has had problems with dangerous animals escaping from their caretakers recently.  In September, a five-ton elephant got away from his trainer at a circus, wandered onto a highway outside Mexico City and was fatally hit by a bus. The bus driver also was killed.  Three tigers escaped from a circus truck and took shelter in a house in western Mexico last week and in August, a 500-pound lion escaped from a local lawmaker’s private zoo in southern Mexico, killing two dogs and a pig and attacking a woman and child on a donkey before it was sedated and captured.

November 11, 2008 Maddaloni, Italy: A 700lb Siberian tiger which can grow to 12 feet long prowled the streets of Maddaloni, southern Italy, for more than five hours after escaping the circus.

November 9, 2008 Junsele, Sweden: A keeper was mauled by a white tiger at the zoo.  The keeper, who has worked with the zoo’s tigers for 16 years, was trapped in a cage with the big cat unti the zoo’s owner, Ulf Henriksson lured the tiger away with a piece of meat so rescue workers could get the man out of the cage and into an ambulance.  The keeper was bitten in the foot and the shoulder and would be hospitalized for a couple of days to ensure against infection from the wounds, Henriksson said, noting the tiger saw the keeper more as a playmate than a threat.

November 8, 2008 Anchorage, AK: In the past week, three reports of the cat wandering near Fort Richardson and Point Woronzof, some 10 miles apart, have reached Rick Sinnott, Anchorage-area wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The cat’s reported spots and size appear to describe the serval, an African wildcat sometimes kept as a “designer” pet, he said.  Possessing such an animal is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine, he said.

November 5, 2008 Mexico City, Mexico: A family in Mexico was in shock after finding a tiger, which had escaped from a circus, lying on their patio, police said. The tiger terrified the town of Zitacuaro, in western Michoacan state, as it wandered the streets for an hour and a half before entering a house.  The tiger “went through the house and lay down on the patio,” the officer said. “The family was terrified and they hid.” A total of three tigers escaped from their circus cages when the doors were left open the day before.

November 3, 2008 Ratchaburi: A male Bengal tiger has been on the loose in Ratchaburi since Thursday, when it escaped from its cage at a wildlife research station after attacking a keeper.  The tiger, named Silathong, attacked Bunma Thongkerd, at the Khaoson wildlife research centre as he opened the cage for cleaning. Mr Bunma was mauled but survived. The tiger slipped out of the cage and ran off.

October 29, 2008 Broken Arrow, OK: Safari’s Interactive Animal Sanctuary is home to 27 big cats. Former keepers have warned for years that the practices there of allowing contact with adult tigers would lead to injuries, escapes and death. SIAS’ website is covered in the typically ignorant photos of the President, Lori Ensign Scroggins (ex-wife of Joe Estes who runs Safari Joe’s) bottle feeding tigers and walking them on leashes. That kind of irresponsible behavior can only lead to tragedy for humans as well as the animals when they pay the ultimate price. Now the liger named Rocky may be killed for mauling to death a volunteer named Peter Getz who walked in the cage while feeding the cat a deer carcass.  The mauling happened in the presence of more than 40 pre schoolers who were ushered away from the scene.

October 29, 2008 Winston, OR: Two cheetahs headed for the Memphis Zoo aboard a Delta flight made a stop at the Atlanta airport where it was discovered one of them had gotten free in the plane. The cheetahs are one-year-old sisters from Wildlife Safari Park in Winston, Oregon.  An airline baggage worker in Atlanta opened the plane’s cargo door and found the cheetah running loose amid the luggage. The plane was moved into a closed airport hangar, and both cheetahs were tranquilized and taken to the Atlanta zoo for a few days before continuing their trip to Memphis.

October 29, 2008Cambridgeshire U.K.:Hamerton Zoo offers ‘Face to Face with a Cheetah’ sessions but today the face to face happened with a little boy after the Cheetah escaped the zoo.  The 6ft long animal was just 15 feet from 9 year oldToby when he spotted it. Toby dropped the bicycle he had been playing with and fled. As he reached the house the three-year-old, 66lb cheetah named Akea bit chunks out of the saddle and ripped the tires with his claws. Toby has since had nightmares over the incident. He said: “I panicked. It looked massive and really scary. I thought it would attack me. I ran as fast as I could.”

October 28, 2008 Latham, NY: Many attacks and escapes go unreported as those who deal in exotics do not want the bad press, but they can’t help but brag about it on what they think are private chat groups.  This was posted on Phoenix Exotics by a breeder of Savannah cats:  “Hell I got seriously bitten by a serval and I went to the ER and said I fell out of a tree and landed on barbed wire…” signed Deborah-Ann Milette, The home of the best known Savannah”MOTZIE”  In 2005 USDA fined her and revoked her license 21-C-0218 for because she allegedly drugged and killed a tiger cub among other things.  See 911AnimalAbuse.com for more.

October 28, 2008 Berlin, Germany: Rescue workers saved six tigers from a blazing 43-foot wagon by turning them loose on the highway.  One tiger appeared to have suffered some smoke inhalation, but the other five were in good condition, owner Daniel Renz said.  Renz said his show would go on, as planned on October 30, but the six tigers involved in Monday’s blaze — Queeni, Aschima, Lena, Sonja, Sibi and Goldi — will be given a break and some of the circus’ seven other tigers will perform in their place.  The suspected cause was an overheated suspension system on the truck, said Renz.

October 14, 2008 Johannesbrg, So. Africa: Nelson Silaigwana of Three Streams Farm in Mangwe was found mauled to death by escaped lions.  Two weeks ago, the eight-year-old daughter of a farmer was mauled by a lion and a lioness her father kept caged. Courtney Sparrow, who suffered a hole in her throat and serious injuries to her arms, face and head, underwent ten hours of surgery in Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg. Her father, Ron Sparrow, said he used the lions to deter attackers, but two lions broke through a weak window and the lioness attacked Courtney. A domestic worker was injured when she tried to rip Courtney from the lioness’s grip.

October 13, 2008 Fallon, NV: A volunteer named Emmie was invited to pet the big cats at Tiger Touch owned by John and Barbara Williamson.  She was petting a cougar named Kicky when the cat latched onto her palm and tried to drag her into the cage.  See photos of the injury and read more about the mauling HERE.

October 4, 2008 Palm City, FL: A 50 lb, declawed Siberian Lynx disappeared from 3560 SW Wood Creek Trail at about 4:30 a.m., shortly after owner Tina Love fed her on the screened patio.  “She’s not the type to walk around,” Love said. “But I thought she might have just wandered off.”  The property was unfenced. Love bought Simba from a breeder in Wisconsin for $2,500 after she gave away her bobcat because it was too wild. The Siberian Lynx was found again a couple weeks later, a mile and a half away, hanging out in a children’s playground.  She was confiscated by authorities as the owner did not have current permits and lacked appropriate caging.  Often Big Cat Rescue has to turn away cats, from irresponsible owners who are trying to dump them, because the owners refuse to sign a contract stating that they will never again fuel the exotic pet trade.

September 18, 2008 Mentone, AL: A cougar escaped from a cage at Lookout Mountain Wild Animal Park and attacked a black leopard’s foot through the fence of an enclosure. The cougar was shot and killed in order to get him to release his hold on the leopard’s paw.

September 16, 2008 Gaveston, TX: Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough said Tuesday that a tiger is out of its enclosure from an exotic pets center. The news follows reports of a lion holed up in a Baptist church with its owner on Bolivar Peninsula.  Yarbrough said, “I understand he’s hungry … so we’re staying away from him.”  Hurricane Ike made landfall Sept. 13 but a week later, the tiger still had not been found.   The lioness and her owner were waist deep in water in the church along with several people who had fled there for shelter.  “They worked pretty well together, actually,” said the lion’s owner, Michael Ray Kujawa. “When you have to swim, the lion doesn’t care about eating nobody.”

August 20 2008 Reno, NV: Washoe County Regional Animal Services originally responded to a call about a large black dog on the roof of a home in the valley east of Washoe Lake. When they got there, they found not a dog, but two black leopards on the roof. State Wildlife Department spokesman Edwin Lyngar says the cats are exotic pets that escaped from the home of their owner Andy Kay who could not be reached for comment at telephone numbers associated with the West Coyote Drive address or the Ann Road address.  Washoe County Assessor’s Office records indicate the Washoe Valley property is owned by Coyote Irrevocable Trust and that Kay is a trustee.  In March two black leopards were fired on by the police after allegedly mauling a puppy 200 yards from their home.  Those cats were never found and are suspected to be the same as these found on a rooftop.  Regional Animal Services Center Director Cindy Sabatoni said two Siberian tigers were found in Washoe County two years ago and a bobcat was found last year in Stead.  The problem in NV is so prevalent that the tigers never even made the news.  The county has put forth a list of requirements that he is expected to meet by June 17th, 2009. One of the orders, is that Kay builds a 8-foot block wall around the cats’ chain-link fence enclsoure. Kay is also expected to notify animal control within 24 hours of the cats returning to his Las Vegas property. That applies in the event that he takes the black leopards out of jurisdiction. Animal control has pushed to revoke Kay’s permit, following the accusations that his cat escaped and put a neighbor’s pet in danger.  “What do you do with the cat that doesn’t make it into a show? They end up somehwere. Sometimes it’s in a bad situation. You never hear about it working out great for the cat for the rest of its life,” said Andy Kay.  (Why is he showing cats when he knows that showing cats is the reason so many end up unwanted?)

August 19, 2008 West Palm Beach, FL: Authorities found and sedated a missing tiger from McCarthy’s Wildlife Center. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the adult lion and tiger escaped and were loose overnight at McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary (a breeding compound and not a true sanctuary) about 20 miles northwest of West Palm Beach. Three schools, Golden Grove Elementary, Acreage Pines Elementary and Western Pines Middle, were on lock-down until the tiger was found and sedated at 11:00 am the next day. Authorities say they don’t know how the big cats escaped.  A person who answered the telephone at the sanctuary on Wednesday said they couldn’t comment and abruptly hung up.  Marc McCarthy houses 22 big cats on what appears in aerial maps to be about 8 lots in a subdivision.  In May, McCarthy was rushed to the hospital after being bitten on the leg by one of his tigers, Sabi, on the set of a rap video being filmed in Miami.

August 5, 2008  Richmond Township, IL: Larry Dean said he was practicing a circus act at the Hawthorn Corporation farm near Richmond when the tiger suddenly became aggressive and grabbed him with its mouth. “He had numerous scratch marks and bite marks,” said Richmond Township Fire Chief Rick Gallas. “I would say that was a mauling… he was pretty bloody.” Gallas said workers told paramedics they had to beat the tiger with baseball bats to get it to release Dean. Gallas said Dean told paramedics it was the second time a tiger had attacked him at the farm, but Dean declined to comment when asked about that on Thursday and Hawthorn’s owner, John Cuneo says Dean should not have been near the tigers.  Hawthorn owns about 50 tigers but only about 30 of the animals are at the farm, Cuneo said. Others are performing at circuses around the world, Cuneo said.  In 2003 the U.S. Department of Agriculture accused Hawthorn of failing to care for its elephants properly. But in 2004 he agreed to give away his elephants in exchange for keeping his circus tigers.  Cuneo has tried to get rid of his tigers when they won’t perform by asking Big Cat Rescue to take them, but Big Cat Rescue does not enable bad behaviour.  Cuneo’s Sarasota neighbors are concerned that he plans to move his tigers to their neighborhood as he has purchased 5 acres of beach front there and asked for permits to install n 8 foot high wall.  FL law requires 5 ac and an 8′ fence for people to keep tigers in their back yard.

August 4, 2008 Branson, MO: A 16-year-old boy named Dakoda Ramel is in the hospital after an attack at the Interactive Zoo and Aquarium( fka Predator World) in Branson West owned by Breck Wakefield. Rescue crews say a 16-year-old employee entered the tiger exhibit to take some photos for guests. Witnesses tell rescuers the teen was knocked to the ground. That’s when they say two other tigers joined in, dragging the teen to the water trough. “We have two puncture wounds on the neck, one big one on the leg, a big gash on the leg. His neck is bleeding,” a caller says on the 911 tape.  That’s the condition in which he was airlifted to Springfield, where he remains four days later in critical condition.  The father of the boy, Jim Barr said, “It was holding him down by his leg and tearing his calf off, eating it right in front of him.” A lot of people remember Predator World from last year, when some wolves, a fox and a bear escaped. The bear killed an adult tiger at the park.  What this park is known for is its interactions with animals like sharks, tigers and alligators. The family of sixteen-year-old Dakoda Wood is taking Predator World to court claiming the tiger bit Wood on the neck, damaging his spinal cord. Wood’s attorneys say the attack caused paralysis and injury to his whole body. Now Wood’s attorneys want to hold the tiger’s owners responsible for injuries the lawsuit claims will cause Wood to suffer a diminished capacity for work, labor and pleasure for the rest of his life. Wood’s attorneys say the business is responsible because the business failed to train and supervise the 16-year-old. They claim the business also failed to restrain the tiger. The lawsuit states Wood has and will pay numerous medical bills because of the attack. Attorneys claim he has also suffered anxiety of the body and mind.

August 3, 2008  Warren County, MO: A 26 year old volunteer named Jacob Barr was mauled by a tiger at the Wesa-A-Geh-Ya Animal Facility and lost his leg below the knee.  The Warren County Sheriff’s Department responded, to a report of a dog attack. Staff at the compound described not a tiger, but rather a pitbull attack. “This was not a dog attack, it was indeed a cat (800 lb tiger) attack on the person,” Sheriff Kevin Harrison said. “And that they had tried to mislead my investigators and cover it up.”  The victim lost his leg below the knee and was airlifted to Barnes Hospital by Arch Air Medical.  The tiger named Hercules who was said to have hopped the fence was shot to death by the owners, Ken and Sandra Smith. They then hid the body at a family member’s house.  The farm is home to 50 exotic animals and has been criticized by animal protection groups and USDA.  About four years ago, the USDA filed allegations against the Smiths that included not providing proper veterinary treatment and lacking adequately trained employees. The Smiths gave up their exhibitor license and later had it revoked for operating without a license.  They are no longer inspected by USDA and the Sheriff’s office has no resources to devote to managing these kinds of operations.

July 17, 2008 New Zealand Safari Park: Lisa Baxter, a 19 year old tour guide knew that if she screamed it would wake the rest of the pack and she would be killed, so she quietly worked to free her hands from the piercing bite of 18 month old Timba, the lion.  Lisa, of Gullane, East Lothian, said: “I was stroking Timba’s nose when he just grabbed my hand. His teeth were razorsharp and went straight through my skin.”  Later she added, “My hands were so swollen, I thought they were going to explode.”

July 14, 2008 El Paso County, CO: El Paso County Sheriff’s deputies searched for an African lion who was spotted running loose by two witnesses, one of whom saw the lion chase several dogs through a field. Photographs confirmed that the animal was indeed an African lion, and the Sheriff’s Office concluded that the animal was likely an escaped pet.

July  10, 2008 Atlanta, GA: A serval was found wandering near 14th Street and Georgia Tech in mid-town Atlanta and picked up by Animal Services who said the problem is more prevalent than most people think.  Owning an exotic cat as a pet is illegal in GA unless it is being used for “education” so when exotic cats escape their owners rarely come forward.  Big Cat Rescue received a report from a neighbor saying that the owner had become fearful of the cat as he matured and turned him loose on purpose.  The cat, dubbed Ozzie, has been placed in a licensed facility.  GA has no accredited sanctuaries, so that probably wasn’t a happy ending for the cat.

June 20, 2008 Thailand’s Tiger Temple: In a report on the Tiger Temple released today is documented and account of a Thai woman who came with her partner to help raise funds for the Temple, put her hand into the tiger, Dao Ruang’s, cage to pet her. Dao took hold of the woman’s hand with her mouth. When the frightened woman tried to pull her hand away, Dao Ruang bit through it and held on. The woman’s partner came over and hit Dao Ruang over the head. The woman’s hand was badly torn between her 3rd and 4th fingers and required numerous stitches to close the wound. On other occasions, investigators observed tigers attacking staff and volunteers. One resulted in an injured finger, which needing suturing, another a French volunteer whose shirt was ripped, narrowly missing her neck and another a Danish volunteer who was tackled to the ground by and bitten on the leg. The resulting injury got infected and the volunteer need medical treatment at a hospital. During an interview with a journalist in January 2008, the Abbot was asked why the tigers do not bite. The Abbot said, “They want to bite and one day they will bite.” Meanwhile the Monks spray tiger urine in the cats’ faces to subdue them. Animal Planet has removed all references to the show.  Read the entire report HERE.

June 19, 2008 Newton County, MO: A deputy shot and killed a 6 month old, declawed, black jaguar after being called to the home of a woman who thought she had seen a cougar. The jaguar had body fat, but no food in its stomach, and his paw pads indicated having been kept on concrete, which means he had escaped from captivity. Missouri does not regulate non-native wildlife, so the agency has no records that might have revealed where the jaguar was being kept.  Last month, a declawed black leopard was shot to death in Neosho, MO.

June 17, 2008  McAllen, TX: Police said Michelle Ashton, 49, who was arrested while exchanging carriers filled with six tiger cubs in a parking lot, could be linked to a suspected tiger-smuggling ring. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Alejandro Rodriguez says it appears the cubs were bound for Mexico when they were seized. According to the feds, smuggling wildlife is a lucrative business that ranks second only to drug smuggling. “It’s a very huge problem,” Fish & Wildlife Service Agent Nicholas Chavez said. “It’s been prevalent for years. It’s something that we see definitely every week.” “You could get anywhere from probably $3000 to $25000 a piece for them depending on what color they are, what they look like,” he said. Ashton allegedly told police that she was a representative of Spring Hill Wildlife Ranch outside of Calvert in Robertson County. If convicted Ashton could face a $250,000 dollar fine and up to five years in prison for violating the U.S. Endangered Species Act.  Wildlife trafficking earns billions of dollars annually. Smuggling wildlife products feeds into multipurpose criminal distribution networks that generate what Younger called “peripheral crime.” This includes corruption of officials, falsification of documents, intimidation and murder. “Once we start to dig into these things we find that not only are they smuggling wildlife, for example, but they’ll be smuggling narcotics, or diamonds or gold bullion,” he said.

June 12, 2008 Shifang, China: Following an earthquake on May 12 and mudslides that caused 400 people to flee on foot, a circus turned loose many of their animals and left 3 lions and 2 tigers behind in cages. On June 3 soldiers shot one 2 year old tiger to death in his cage. One white lion had starved to death already. When Chen Qinghua, head of Wanguan Group, was informed that a tiger and 2 lions were still alive, he organized a rescue party who transported the big cats by helicopter to the Bifengxia Zoo. They had gone without food or water for 25 days.

June 7, 2008 Tokyo, Japan: Zookeeper, Atsushi Ito, was mauled to death by an 11 year old, 330 lb. male tiger while cleaning the animal’s cage at the Kyoto City Zoo in western Japan. Police suspected Ito had failed to lock a door that connected two cages.

June 6, 2008 Winnepeg, Canada: Kelly John Clarke, 38, sometimes called the Tiger Man of St. Clements has been charged with two counts of first degree murder in connection with the brutal killings of Joel Labossiere, 34, and his pregnant wife Magdalena, 33, who were found shot to death inside their St. Vital house on April 20. Clarke first made headlines in 1997 when his Midwest Exotics – a business that bought and sold exotic animals to pet stores, zoos and universities – brought to his St. Clements home Sheena, a Siberian tiger. When his trailer burned to the ground 1998, surrounding residents pressured council to bring forward a restricted exotic animal bylaw. Most of the animals were confiscated, but in August 1999, Winnipeg police seized the 250-kilogram Sheena after the tiger was spotted in a cage in the back of a van in River Heights. In December 2001 Clarke was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison and a 10-year weapons prohibition for 14 armed robberies. He went on the spree to fund a $1,000-a-day crack cocaine habit. In August 2007, Clarke was arrested in Selkirk and charged with intimidation after allegedly disrupting a Winnipeg trial and following a Crown attorney while she drove home from work. These are the kind of people who have big cats as pets.

May 27 So. Africa: A man in his forties was attacked and killed by six lions on a lion farm in Setlagole, near Mafikeng, North West police said.  Superintendent Koos Degenaar said the man went into the lion’s cage to give the animals water.  He was then attacked by six lions. All that was left of the man were fingers and intestines. This is the sixth such incident to be reported in the province in two years. Other incidents include a 13 year old boy who was killed by lions at Tosca, two people who were killed on two different farms at Zeerust, anther fatal lion attack at a farm near Swartruggens and a fifth occurred near Potchefstroom.

May 26, 2008 South Bend, IN: A Potawatomi Zoo worker was attacked by a leopard as she cleaned the cat’s holding area, leaving her with head wounds.  Zoo visitors watched Saturday as veteran zoo keeper Jeri Ellis was wheeled away on a stretcher, her head wrapped in bandages and towels spotted in blood.

May 24, 2008 Detroit Zoo, MI: Royal Oak – An animal handler at the Detroit Zoo has received stitches after being scratched and bitten by a lioness named Katie.  The Detroit Free Press reports the attack happened shortly after Saturday’s 5 p.m. public closing time.  Zoo spokeswoman Patricia Mills Janeway says Brett Kipley, who in his 20s, received stitches at a hospital. The newspaper says Kipley used pepper spray to fend off the animal during the attack.

May 21, 2008 Neosho, MO: A 61 year old woman was chased into her house by a black leopard.  An officer on the scene said he shot the cat with a shot gun two or three times as it approched him and then fired several rounds from a .45 caliber Glock into the cat’s chest before stopping him.  The cat was pawing at the door to get into the house when the police arrived.  The leopard was a declawed pet that had escaped or had been dumped.

May 14, 2008 Russia: A drunken Russian zookeeper, who was mauled by a lion after climbing into its pen May 1 at a zoo in the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, died in hospital Tuesday, investigators said. The man, who had been suspended from work for being drunk, entered the animal’s enclosure while the lion slept and was attacked by the big cat as he tried to tap it on the nose.

May 11, 2008 Toledo, OH: The Toledo Zoo said that a zookeeper suffered three lacerations to the chest while caring for the tigers. The tiger’s paw made it through a double mesh barrier at an odd angle, enabling the tiger to come into contact with the keeper.

May 10, 2008 Carrollton, IL: Authorities have seized an African Serval named Max from Tammy Ruehl who was keeping it as a pet without a permit.  Ruehl says she received a $75 fine. Carrollton Police Chief Mike Kiger says the state had the right to confiscate the animal.

May 5, 2008 Loxahatchee, FL: According to PR-inside.com and Palm Beach Post: “Mark McCarthy who took his tiger onto the set of rapper Rick Ross’ new video, was savagely attacked by the white tiger. The big cat, which featured in the background of one of Ross’ scenes with Nellie was being used as a prop to look like the rapper’s pet.  The tiger turned on the unnamed trainer when he tried to coax the fierce creature out of its cage during filming. Reportedly agitated from being in chains all day, the tiger bit the trainer’s leg as he tried to remove it from its cage.  The tiger’s keeper suffered severe bite wounds to his right leg and was rushed to hospital after the attack.  Now laid up, McCarthy had to cancel some of his other gigs. “Won’t be the first time I’ve been bit, won’t be the last. I’ve been bit by everything from venomous snakes to tigers and leopards and monkeys and who knows what else,” said the 52-year-old owner of McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary.  He said the $5,000 bonus he got for the video will barely make up for the shows he missed. ”

May 9, 2008 Muskegon, MI: Both a serval and a bear are believed to have escaped April 28 or 29. Numerous residents in Fruitport Township reported seeing the bear early this week before it was recovered.  The serval, a declawed cat with no way to protect himself or hunt, is still missing.  He escaped through a window in the room where he was kept. DNR spokeswoman Mary Dettloff said the agency probably will seek a misdemeanor charge against the owners for failure to report the missing bear, as required by the SPCA’s permit.

May 1, 2008 Quebec: The 70-kilogram king of the jungle, who goes by the name of Boomer, has been on the lam since he escaped last night from a house where he was kept as a man’s personal pet. The lion, which is about four feet high, was last spotted beside Highway 105, near Maniwaki, about an hour north of Ottawa.

April 18, 2008 Los Angeles, CA: Five Circus Vazquez tigers have been evicted by Los Angeles animal welfare officials because the big-cats earlier attacked and killed another tiger in their small cage. Department general manager Ed Boks says the tigers killed one of their own in Huntington Park on March 31 and the U.S. Department ofAgriculture cited Circus Vazquez for having too many tigers in close proximity to each other. Los Angeles officials went to the San Fernando Valley where the circus was performing across from the Panorama City Mall and the tigers were close together in the same cage. Boks says it was believed to be a public danger.

April 18, 2008 San Francisco, CA: Nicki Phung, 31 and Steven Tieu, 38, admitted in federal court to trying to illegally import a real, stuffed tiger into the United States. The two were caught in December when a U.S. Customs official at San Francisco International Airport inspected a box labeled “toy tiger” mailed from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and bound for the couple’s home in Hercules, CA.

March 29, 2008 Wellington, FL:  Judy Berens, owner of Panther Ridge Sanctuary, was showing off her two male cheetahs, Matt and Charlie, that she says she paid $40,000.00 for in Africa, when they knocked her down and punctured her arms and back more than 40 times before volunteers were able to rescue her.  Berens says she has to pay another $10,000. to the Cheetah Conservation Botswana and Cheetah Outreach as part of her deal with the US Fish & Wildlife Service who are not supposed to allow the import of endangered species unless doing so somehow enhances their species chances at survival.  Many of these Cheetah conservation centers are merely breeding facilities that supply cats to zoos and private collectors.  (The cats are not set free.)  Berens has more than twenty exotic cats in her 5 acre back yard and said, she fashioned herself after Katharine Hepburn’s leopard-owning character in Bringing up Baby. “I figured if she can have a leopard, why can’t I..?.” Judy Berens’ comment is exactly why displaying big cats as tractable is harmful to people and the cats. If show biz had not portrayed Hepburn as a master of the leopard, Berens might not have shelled out 7500.00 for her Jaguars nor the 50,000 for her pet Cheetahs. As long as people, like Berens continue to exhibit exotic cats as if they were tame, others will say, “…why can’t I?”

March 28, 2008 Davenport, FL: Darryl Atkinson of Horseshoe Creek says the animals have to go now that he won’t be able to exhibit them for money.  He has more than 30 big cats in cages that have been cited more than 40 times for being too small and too flimsy.  When Big Cat Rescue called to see if they could help they were told that Atkinson was going to work with Bhagavan Antle (T.I.G.E.R.S. in SC and FL) and that his cats were going with him.  There isn’t much the state or federal government can do to stop him if another dealer is willing to let him continue to operate under their license.

March 24, 2008 Las Vegas, NV: A panther likely kept as a pet attacked a dog in the back yard of a home in a residential area. Police attempted to shoot the panther, but the animal escaped.

March 20, 2008 Ontario, Canada Bowmanville Zoo: A martial arts teacher knocked over by a lion during a photo shoot for Desi Life at Bowmanville Zoo says she is happy to have come away with four broken ribs and a bloodied lung. “To be honest, the sensation I have is a great deal of gratitude to be alive,” Gitanjali Kolanad said yesterday.  In the video, one minder kicks the baby lion in the neck while the other pulls on a leash. The lion takes a second, unsuccessful lunge at Kolanad as she lies gasping, before he is hauled out the door. “I couldn’t breathe – that was the terrifying part. The muscles in my chest seized up and they didn’t relax until I was in the emergency room and they gave me a muscle relaxant.”  See it here: http://www.thestar.com/DesiLife/article/347684

February 23, 2008 Miami, FL: A pet serval was turned in, no questions asked, at an exotic pet amnesty day sponsored by the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission.  100 owners dropped off bags full of pythons, scorpions and assorted other reptiles, birds and mammals.  “This is garden-variety stuff,” said exotic pet veterinarian Thomas Goldsmith, who examined the submissions. “This is Miami. People have sloths and leopards and God knows what else.”  The FWC then gave the dumped pets to new owners.  One of the people surrendering her pets, Christie Lyon said, “People have no idea what they’re getting into.”

February 21, 2008 Honolulu, HI:  A 245-pound Sumatra tiger named Berani was discovered wandering around an unsecured area just before the Honolulu Zoo’s opening on Thursday. A startled female volunteer reported the escape after the tiger brushed past her. Zoo workers describe 8-year-old Berani as the tamest of three tigers at the zoo. Quintal says staff members who cleaned the tiger enclosure failed to properly latch a gate.

February 21, 2008 Johnstown, OH: Ben Uditis was driving when he noticed a fire at 3159 S. County Line Rd. Editis woke Rick Armstrong and helped him get his animals out of his garage, including a caged tiger.  Firefighters arriving on the scene had to work around the big cat to put out the blaze. ( Since no one was harmed, this is not included in the totals above as an incident although the first responders would certainly call it one. )

February 13, 2008 Bracebridge, Ontario: Provincial police were forced to shoot and kill a six year old jaguar named Bhino after he broke through a chain link cage at Guhu Exotic Animal Reserve. When officers arrived, they found the jaguar with the family’s pet dog in his mouth. The dog was on a chain and therefore couldn’t escape the jaguar and had to be put down because of severe injuries.

February 10, 2008 West Palm Beach, FL: A Palm Beach Zoo employee was bitten by a tiger during a training session. The worker was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

February 9, 2008 Davenport, FL: Brenda Chapman was clawed by a tiger named Kheira while cleaning out its cage, at Horseshoe Creek said Gary Morse of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.The incident comes on the heels of Darryl Atkinson‘s Feb. 1 arrest on charges of grand theft and signing a forged instrument. The commission said it found Atkinson accepting money from people on court-ordered probation in exchange for signing off on community service work they did not do. “That’s just not what I need with all this other stuff,” owner Darryl Atkinson said.

January 24, 2008 Seattle, WA: Two declawed, yearling servals were found wandering around West Seattle. Animal Control picked up one on Jan. 1 as it was going after some cat food left on a doorstep. Officers picked up the second one on the grounds of Madison Middle School.  Officer Don Baxter suspects they both belonged to the same owner, who has not claimed them.

January 20, 2008 Cedar Creek, TX: A volunteer at the Capital of Texas Zoo was bitten by a cougar when she reached into the pen to pet the animal. The cougar gripped her arm and the girl sustained a broken thumb and bites that required stitches. She was the second person to be bitten by this animal this year.

January 18, 2008 Mayes County, OK: The fire at Safari Joe’s Exotic Wildlife Refuge destroyed a large barn that housed big cats, monkeys, birds and reptiles. Joe Estes, who owns the refuge, says he was able to save some tigers and lions but at least two tigers housed on the property died in the flames along with about 100 other exotic animals.

January 10, 2008 San Francisco, CA: A 90-pound snow leopard at the San Francisco Zoo nearly escaped after he chewed or tore through a steel mesh wall that separated the feeding cage from a zookeeper service area. The animal created a hole large enough to get his leg and head through. This is not incl in the totals above as it was not an actual escape.

Unknown Date in 2008, Panama City, FL: Jim Broaddus, owner of Bear Creek Feline Center (est. 2000) was quoted by Will Hobson of the News Herald Writer on February 28, 2009 as saying, “I probably shouldn’t even tell you this, but I was in the hospital for a while last year … Cleo (a 200-pound mountain lion AKA cougar) slapped me in the head. It wasn’t his fault, he was just doing what cats do.”  The blow gave Broaddus a subdural hematoma.

2007

December 27, 2007 Manitowoc, WI: Two cougars escaped at the Lincoln Park Zoo.  Mayor Kevin Crawford said “These animals can’t survive in the wild.  People who think they are releasing these animals as a service to the animals are just wrong. They still have killer instincts and could have threatened area residents. A zookeeper saw cougar tracks in snow and discovered the animals had escaped between 7 and 8 a.m., Crawford said.

December 25, 2007 San Francisco, CA: A Siberian tiger named Tatiana escaped at the San Francisco zoo, killing17 year old Carlos Sousa who was in the cafe and mauled two other young men (19 and 23) before police arrived on the scene and shot Tatiana to death.  All three boys were from San Jose.  The zoo says they don’t know how she escaped.  Tatiana’s enclosure was reinforced after the cat’s first attack two days before Christmas last year. In the attack that occurred last year, Tatiana chewed off keeper Lori Komejan’s arm during a regular afternoon feeding at the Lion House. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health later ruled the zoo was responsible for that incident, blaming poor training and the way the tiger enclosures were designed. The city, which helps fund the zoo, has been sued by Komejan and is assessing whether it is liable for the Christmas Day mauling. The identity of the dead victim, Carl Sousa, Jr., has been made public and his parents have been interviewed on TV and elsewhere over the last couple of days. But the names of the two other victims, who are brothers and frinds of Sousa’s, were not revealed. Until 12/29/07. From a report this morning by the AP’s Jordan Robertson and Marcus Wolhsen: The 4-year-old tiger, a female named Tatiana, went on a rampage near closing time Tuesday, killing Sousa and severely injuring the two others before police shot it to death. Brothers Paul Dhaliwal, 19, and Kulbir Dhaliwal, 23, were at San Francisco General Hospital with severe bite and claw wounds. Their names were provided by hospital and law enforcement sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because the family had not yet given permission to release their names. After interviewing the brothers, police said Kulbir Dhaliwal was the animal’s first victim. As the tiger clawed and bit him, Sousa and the younger brother yelled in hopes of scaring it off him, police said. The cat then went for Sousa, slashing his neck as the brothers ran to a zoo cafe for help. After killing the teenager, the tiger followed a trail of blood left by Kulbir Dhaliwal about 300 yards to the cafe, where it mauled both men, police said. Four officers who had already discovered Sousa’s body then arrived and found the cat sitting next to one of the bloodied brothers, police Chief Heather Fong said. The victim yelled, “Help me! Help me!” and the animal resumed its attack, Fong said. The officers used their patrol car lights to distract the tiger, and it turned and began approaching them, leading all four to open fire, she said.  Read all of the stories online

December 25, 2007 Dallas, TX: A pet tiger who was wearing a collar was found shot to death alongside I-35E in a vacant lot near the Madison Point Apartments in Dallas, TX.  Big Cat Rescue is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible.   Officials believe the tiger was illegally kept, violently killed and unlawfully dumped on a city street.  “This is a horrible example of what humans are capable of,” said Louis Dorfman. “Somebody out there thought they were going to make a pet out of this animal. These are never pets.”  News 8 has learned the death of the tiger was subsequently linked to a notorious west Dallas gang that kept the tiger in a house.  More HERE

December 20, 2007 India: A 50-year-old man, a school teacher, was mauled to death by a Bengal tiger at a zoo in Assam, India.  Two tigers who were in a cage pounced, with one of them tearing his hand and arm apart when the man extended his camera toward the cage for a better picture. The man, his wife and two children, were visiting the zoo in Assam’s main city of Guwahati when the incident took place.

December 3, 2007 Acton, CA: Chris Orr, a 40 year old caretaker who had worked at the facility for more than 20 years, was bitten on the neck and critically mauled by a 4 year old, 450 lb tiger named Alexander at the Shambala Preserve.  Orr was airlifted to a hospital and is in stable condition.  “It’s a terrible, terrible thing that has happened,” Hedren said, adding that many of the tigers in her sanctuary come from abused backgrounds. “Who knows what happened to this tiger? People have kept them in closets, basements. Two of them were kept in air-conditioning systems. What makes these animals so dangerous is for no reason at all this kind of accident can happen. It isn’t the tiger’s fault. It is the fault of the people breeding these animals in the first place that leads them to be here.”She described the tiger in Monday’s incident as a “mutt” that was probably bred in the United States as an exotic pet. The facility was established on 80 acres in 1972 by actress Tippi Hedren as a retirement home for lions and tigers that she co starred with in the movie Roar. About 70 big cats normally live there and include lions, tigers, ligers, leopards, servals, mountain lions, bobcats, a lynx and a Florida panther.

November 21, 2007 St. Louis Zoo, MO: A Cheetah cub named Zuri escaped by scaling a ten foot wall. Twenty-seven minutes later, the cheetah was found, tranquilized and returned to her exhibit. She is one of four born on Nov. 10, 2006, at the zoo. One of the cheetahs died a month later. The incident marked the third time since 2000 that a cheetah has escaped from the zoo.

November 19, 2007 Wakefield, OH: Pike County sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call of a lion “attacking” vehicles on U.S. 23 found Terry and Vicki Brumfield trying to capture the 550-pound feline. Lambert had broken out of his pen in Piketon. Brumfield raises lions as an escape from depression and owns two lions, Lambert and Lacey. Although he says he loves his pets, Brumfield said he was prepared to shoot Lambert. Ohio doesn’t require permits for exotic animals, but that would change under an Ohio House bill now in committee. Terry Brumfield faces three misdemeanor animal cruelty charges, including failure to provide his two lions with a clean, healthful environment. Pike County Humane Agent John Owens says an inspection of Brumfield’s property showed that the cage where two lions were kept was caked with manure and littered with rotting animal carcasses.

November 14, 2007 New Hampton, IA: A Chickasaw County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a tiger that escaped from Joseph and Dawn Schmitt. When the sheriff and two deputies arrived, the full-grown tiger was attacking the family’s collie. The county doesn’t have any licensing laws for exotic pets and the matter has been turned over to the USDA. The family also has two cougars and a bear.  Tiger news HERE

November 9, 2007 Inverness, FL: 5 tigers and a lion were seized from Susan MacKay’s home by the FWC.  Witnesses and video showed the animals to be walking skeletons.  She and her late husband, Wild Bill MacKay, ran a roadside tourist trap and bred tigers for sale to private owners.  Reports say that the FWC was aware of the starvation for two years and had already seized another cat previously. MacKay claimed to be feeding a cut up tiger in her freezer to the living cats.  The cats were sent to another private owner who has 200 exotic pets including 14 big cats in his residential backyard lot that is only 2.5 acres.  That owner claims that he will find them yet another home, but zoos do not take castoffs from the exotic pet trade, so that means they will likely go to yet another ill equipped owner. Starving tiger news HERE

November 1, 2007 Mahopac, NY: An emaciated Serval seized from a squalid home. “What we’re finding now is in its feces, there’s a lot of Styrofoam,” said Ken Ross, chief of the SPCA of Westchester’s Humane Law Enforcement division. “It was eating whatever it could. It was extremely hungry.”  Louis Pinto, 54, who is on parole after a drug conviction, was charged with animal cruelty, a misdemeanor, in the serval case. The serval wasn’t the first large feline to lead Pinto to legal trouble. In 1998, DEC officers removed Dax, a 5-month-old domesticated bobcat, from his home.  In 2002, Pinto was charged with first-degree criminal possession narcotics after authorities seized $1 million worth of the illegal drugs.  Serval news HERE

October 25, 2007 Saginaw, TX: Gizmo the pet serval escaped through an open window Thursday night and was last seen Tuesday morning in a field near a school, rec. center and residential area. Gizmo weighs about 35 pounds and has been de-clawed. The cat was later recaptured.

October 23, 2007 Mossel Bay, S. Africa: Jurg Olsen, owner of the Jukani Wildlife Ranch and Care Centre near has had an operation to his hand after a black leopard bit him. As he was cleaning Diablo’s night house he said “a miscommunication between animal and man” led to his left hand being bitten.

October 1, 2007 Pahrump, NV: A cougar escaped from a holding pen at Running Wild animal compound and attacked a volunteer who entered the enclosure with a bucket of meat. The woman was knocked to the ground by the cougar and bitten on the neck, back, hands, and arms. The cougar stopped the attack when emergency sirens approached the facility.

September 8th, 2007, Phoenix, AZ: An African Serval cat bolted from its owner and is loose on Valley streets far from its native African savanna. The animal has been Shaw’s pet for about three weeks. She said she got it from a woman in Kentucky who had to get rid of it.  “The cat was being beaten with a belt from her soon-to-be ex-husband,” Shaw said.  Shaw said the animal escaped 12 days ago while she was playing with it.  “She went straight bee-line, so fast it was unbelievable, right over that fence,” Shaw said. Details HERE

September 4, 2007 Kaxakhstan, Almaty: A lion escaped from his cage at a Kazakh zoo over the weekend. The six-year-old lion called Adam sneaked out of his cage through a door that had been accidentally left open.  The lion roamed around freely for half an hour before zoo workers lured it back to safety. Just a month ago, three bears broke out of their enclosure in the same zoo in southern Kazakhstan.  Details HERE

August 22, 2007 Belize: Canada Lynx dies in Hurricane Dean. Big Cat Rescue had been working with the Placencia Humane Society in Belize since February to try and relocate a Canada Lynx that had been confiscated by the government after her owners smuggled her into their country illegally. We had everything ready on our end, but despite the best efforts of the staff of the Placencia Humane Society, the veterinary community and concerned citizens, we could not get the Belize government to pay attention to the matter and process the necessary paperwork for her exportation.  On August 21 Hurricane Dean slammed into Belize as a Category 5 storm, killing 42 people and the Canada Lynx.

August 8, 2997 Heritage Park, CO: A serval named Sir Sidney escaped from Ken Koster’s motorhome in Steamboat Springs while he was visiting with family.  Koster lives in Wyoming.   It is illegal to own a serval in Colorado, and DOW officer Haskins said Koster could face fines as a result of bringing the animal into the state.  Haskins said it’s become popular to own exotic pets such as servals, describing them as the latest designer pet. (Our definition of a pet is an animal who doesn’t run away from you the first chance they get)

July 30, 2007 Xinyi, China: A zookeeper in China was killed when he forgot to move a tiger out of its cage before going in to clean it. Police shot the tiger dead after discovering the zoo’s only tranquilliser gun was also inside the cage. Zhang, a keeper in his 60s, drove a tiger into an inner cage before entering the outer cage at the zoo in a park, colleagues said, but forgot about the second tiger.

July 16, 2007 Patton Township, PA: Sgt. Frank Monroe said officers received a report Friday night of a cheetah running across state Route 550, but the animal turned out to be a serval, a medium-sized wildcat native to Africa. Police are seeking the owners of the serval, because the animal could not survive a central Pennsylvania winter, Monroe said. Police have posted fliers asking residents to be on the lookout for the animal.

July 14, 2007 San Antonio, TX: Jeff Tierney was in critical condition Saturday after a Sumatran tiger mauled him while he was inside the animal’s enclosure at the San Antonio Zoo.  Around 2:30 p.m., 911 dispatchers received a call about a man who had suffered trauma at the zoo, in the 3900 block of North St. Mary’s Street. As sirens wailed and visitors began to leave the park, emergency radio traffic blared that the man had suffered multiple injuries to his head and also to his body. Jeff Tierney, reportedly in his 20s, was airlifted to University Hospital. Tierney was in critical condition when he was taken into surgery late Saturday evening.

July 7, 2007 Yellville, AR: Brent Marshall was air lifted to Baxter Regional Medical Center after an attack occured while he was cleaning out the pen of his declawed cougar. Marshall reported that the cat knocked him to the ground and began biting him on the back of the neck, head and leg.  His wife, Anna, ran into the pen and pushed her fingernails in the cat’s neck and made him retreat to the back of the pen. She pulled her husband out of the pen, closed the door and called 911.  This happened just moments before the couple were to release the cougar to a sanctuary because they were moving.

June 24, 2007 South Africa, Morokweng village: The North West provincial government remains mum on the action to be taken against the owners of the lions who killed a nine-year-old boy on a farm near Bray last weekend. Tshepo Gaorupi was mauled by two lions when he reportedly stuck his hand through the fence of the enclosure housing the lions on Woodborrow farm. All that remained of the nine-year-old boy was a small piece of his skull. The Congress of South African Trade Unions is threatening to stage protest marches against the departments of justice, safety and security and agriculture for the failure to protect the rights of ordinary people.

June 23, 2007 Africa, Johannesburg: An 18-month-old baby girl is in a serious condition after she was attacked by a leopard through a fence at a game farm just outside Heilbron in the Free State, paramedics said on Saturday. “According to eyewitnesses on scene, the girl’s father was holding her in his arms when the leopard somehow managed to grab her through the fence,” said Beech. She said the little girl sustained serious facial injuries and was transported to the Midvaal Hospital, in the Three Rivers area. She was in a serious condition. “Her father sustained injuries to his left hand and was also transported to hospital in a stable condition,” she said.

June 21, 2007 Polokwane, South Africa: A Zimbabwean illegal immigrant was killed and his brother narrowly escaped death when they landed in a lion enclosure at a game farm in Limpopo, police said on Thursday. June 5, 2007 Mexico City, Mexico: A tiger and lion kept in small cages on a store rooftop fatally attacked their caretaker.  Mexico City police say the man was feeding them when the felines swatted at the man’s legs and pulled him down. The tiger died from complications due to sedation and shoving a block of wood in his mouth.  The 56 year old owner had raised the cats from cubs and kept them on the roof of his meat packing plant. See Video HERE

May 11, 2007 B.C. Canada: A 32 year old woman named Tanya Dumstrey-Soos was mauled to death, in front of her horrified children, by a tiger owned by Kim Carlton of Siberian Magic.  Witnesses at the scene said she was killed by being too close to the cage.  Kim Carlton’s business puts on exotic and magic shows and offers photos with the big cats.  Two years ago a vet had determined these animals’ living conditions (12 x 12 cages) were putting them in distress and the SPCA wanted to move in but had not found anywhere suitable to place them.  The SPCA noted this would have been avoided by a ban on the private possession of big cats, such as many other Canadian provinces already have.

April 11, 2007 Krugersdorp on Gauteng’s West Rand, Africa: The Ngonyama Lions Lodge which was owned by Dirk Brink, is set to be auctioned off. Brink was found dead in the lion enclosure last month. He signed the mandate for the auction just hours before his death. The business will be auctioned in May. Steve Van der Berg, Aucor property’s spokesperson, says Brink made arrangements with him to sign the mandate. This has paved the way for the lodge, which houses several amenities and wildlife, to come under the hammer.

April 26, 2007: Unknown locality.  This event did not make the regular news, as many of these cases do not, but was caught on tape and aired at LiveLeak.com  This video of a man being mauled, to death and back, is very disturbing.  Do not open this link unless you are over 18 and can handle the horrific scene.  Video Here

March 20, 2007 Kenya, Africa: TV presenter Simon King was mauled by a cheetah, which pounced on the star at the Lewa Wildlife Conservatory during filming for BBC show TOKI’S TALE – in which he releases a cheetah he hand-reared for four years into the wild. King was taken to a nearby hospital after the wild beast inflicted a large wound in his arm. He was treated along with a female colleague, who was also attacked by the cheetah, and both were given anti-rabies treatment.

March 13, 2007 Podgorica, Montenegro: A Siberian tiger at a private zoo in Montenegro bit off an arm of a woman who tried to feed the animal. Slavka Sekulovic, 58, had put her arm into the cage with two Siberian tigers when one of them grabbed it and bit it off, said doctor Zoran Srzentic who admitted the woman at a nearby hospital.”The tiger just wouldn’t let it go,” he said. The tigers were brought into Montenegro last year from Bosnia. The authorities initially had detained three people on suspicion of smuggling the animals but no formal charges were raised. The owner, Stojan Sekulovic, has claimed the tigers were a present for his private zoo.

March 4, 2007 Harare, Africa: An Australian embassy worker is recovering in a Pretoria hospital after being attacked by lions at the Lion and Cheetah Park outside Harare earlier this month. Gemma Huggins, 27, was the second diplomatic worker mauled by lions at the park and now safety concerns have been raised about conditions at the park.  In 2005 a Japanese embassy employee died of her injuries in a similar attack at the same park.

February 24, 2007 Denver, CO: A 27 yr old Denver Zookeeper, Ashlee Pfaff, who has worked at the zoo for a year, was mauled to death by a 6 yr old, 140 lb jaguar named Jorge as she was working inside the animal’s cage.  It is unclear why the zookeeper entered the animal’s enclosure while the jaguar was in it, said Tiffany Barnhart, a spokeswoman for the zoo. Pfaff was taken to Denver Health Medical Center but died from her injuries. An autopsy showed death was “due to injuries to the neck, including blood vessels, spinal column and spinal cord.”  Zookeepers who entered the jaguar’s enclosure to rescue the injured worker shot the jaguar to death when it approached them, said Bannhart. The jaguar, named Jorge, came to Denver from Santa Cruz Zoo, Bolivia, in March 2005.  More…

February 23, 2007 China: A six-year-old girl named Rui Xin was mauled to death by a performing tiger at the Kunming Zoo in Yunnan province.  The animal lunged at the girl’s head when a flashbulb went off as the child was being photographed.  The tiger held the child’s head in its mouth for over a minute as frantic trainers beat the animal with clubs and a chair, trying to force it to let go of Rui Xin. She was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead with a crushed skull. Her mother was also bitten on the arm.

February 21, 2007 Napavine, WA: Paul Mason had to give up his 4 Siberian Tigers when he got evicted from his rural Lewis County home.  Problems started when Paul Mason defaulted on payments on his rent-to-own property.  Four huge Siberian tigers, Samson and Delilah, Romeo and Juliet lived in a divided 40-foot cage in the backyard of Paul Mason’s home. Juliet is believed to be pregnant.  (Since they were surrendered they are not included in statistic summary above.)

February 13, 2007 Spain: The two year old tiger called Melody, owned by José Antonio Roca (the man in prison on remand and said to be at the centre of the Malaya corruption case in Marbella), which has, like her owner been kept behind bars since his arrest, has been moved to the Noah’s Ark animal recuperation centre in Alicante.  The Málaga Animal Protection Society had said that the tiger was in danger of becoming schizophrenic if left where she was.  The animal, which came originally from a circus, had been kept in a cage the size of two rooms of a house.  In Alicante she is now sharing space with two male tigers, Charly and Cuqui.

February 12, 2007 Olmense Zoo, Belgium: Karen Aerts, 37, entered the cheetah cage, apparently by staying in the zoo after it closed.  She was a donor to one of the cheetahs, named Bongo, and it appears that she thought they felt the same way about her, that she did about them.  She was later found dead in the cage.

February 9, 2007 Bangladesh, Dhaka Zoo: Panic gripped the visitors at Dhaka Zoo yesterday noon when a Bengal Tiger attacked its keeper and escaped for about half an hour.  The victim, Mujibar Rahman Sheikh, 40, narrowly survived with injuries to his arms, thighs, neck and chest. Earlier, a zoo tiger killed a visiting child in 1996 and a bear killed a zookeeper in 2004. A lion also escaped a few years ago.

February 06,2007 Edinburg, TX: A bobcat slipped silently through the front door of the Museum of South Texas History’s gift shop. “…he just sat there like he owned the place,” said Sandra Luna. The bobcat was almost certainly an escaped or released pet. “A wild bobcat would not come inside,” said John Young, a mammologist with the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife in Austin. A wild one “would be going frantic to get back out.” (Because the cat could not be verified as a pet, it is not listed above in the totals of exotic cat incidents.)

January 21, 2007 San Angelo, TX: A woman was bitten by a old lion cub who was less than 8 weeks old at a mall and treated at the Emergency Room for punctures.  The lion cub was being used for photo ops by G.W. Exotic Animal Foundation.  Animal Services examined the cub and said it had ringworm which is highly contagious. Even though the cub was only 54 days old he was able to bite a woman’s forearm hard enough to puncture, requiring a tetanus shot at the emergency room.

January 19, 2007 Novosibirsk Zoo, Russia: An unidentified man, fuelled by booze,  decided that it would be a really good idea to climb into the tiger’s enclosure and give him a hug.  The tiger didn’t think so and bit him on the arm.  Director Shilo denied that the zoo was able to prevent a determined person from getting into the animal cages.

January 8, 2007 Center Point, IN: A cougar scaled a 14 foot high fence and escaped Joe Taft’s Exotic Feline Rescue Center about 50 miles west of Indianapolis. The non-accredited facility currently holds nearly 200 big cats.  According to media reports a month later the cat has still not been found.

2006

2006 Zanesville, OH:  Terry Thompson didn’t make the news about this escape until Oct. 19, 2011 when it came out from sheriff reports that a lion had escaped his compound and that just about every month the sheriff was called out to his property because of some escape or illegal activity.

December 23, 2006 San Francisco, CA: “The tiger ate her hand. It slowly proceeded to eat the rest of her arm.” That’s how Vikram Chari described the horrifying spectacle that he and his 6-year-old son witnessed.  A 350-pound Siberian tiger named Tatiana attacked her keeper at the San Francisco Zoo during feeding time Friday afternoon as dozens of visitors looked on. The keeper, who sources identified as Lori Komejan, was taken to San Francisco General Hospital.  “The right arm was in the tiger’s mouth,” said Chari “The left arm was just being held there (in the claws) and the right arm was being eaten. She was screaming and flailing away.” This same keeper appears in the 2005 episode of Dirty Jobs called Cheese Maker (available on DVD from Discovery Ch.) In the episode, she is in the lion house, and in front of visitors and the camera, she repeatedly reaches her arms into the lion and tiger cages, hugging, scratching and kissing them and invites her host to do the same.  While feeding you can see her stick her whole arm into the cage while tossing horse meat and a whole rabbit. The Cal-OSHA report said zoo officials knew the Lion House posed a hazard, because the cats were known to be able to reach through the bars. It also found officials were remiss for not training workers in safety procedures, such as a buddy system or the use of specialized equipment.  More HERE

December 22, 2006: Washington, DC: The National Zoo was briefly shut down Friday after a clouded leopard was discovered missing from a wire-mesh enclosure.  Mook, a 5-year-old, 24-pound female, apparently escaped overnight, zoo spokesman John Gibbons said.

December 20, 2006 Searcy, AR: The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission thinks the marauding Mountain Lion is a former pet who has killed three calves, chased a girl into her home, clawed a tractor as a farmer was trying to flee and chased after a woman walking her dog. “We don’t have mountain lions in Arkansas,” said Keith Stephens, assistant chief of communications for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. “There are probably some feral ones, which would have been a domestic animal at one time, someone’s pet. It might’ve gotten too wild. When they get them as kittens they are lovable and playful, but when they get to be 100 pounds, they overwhelm a person, and they just release them into the wild.” Sasse agrees with Stephens, that what is being seen in Arkansas are mostly released pets stating “There was one owned by a drug dealer in Arkansas a few years ago, and he basically let it run free.”

December 18, 2006 Kiev, Ukraine: (AP)  A tiger bit off the ear of a 33 year old man who fell into her enclosure at a zoo in southern Ukraine.  The tiger attacked the man, biting off his ear and scratching his neck. He was hospitalized in a serious condition. “The man, his sister and their friend drank a bottle of vodka and then came to our zoo for entertainment,” Kyrychenko told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

December 11, 2006 Jacksonville, FL: Julie Johnson’s fears were eased after a man rescued her pet bobcat, who got himself stuck in a tree a week ago and would not come down.  She was concerned that with recent freezing temperatures and no food or water, the 7 month old bobcat’s life may have been in danger as he precariously clung to a small branch 80 feet above the ground.

December 7, 2006 Coral Gables, FL: Goya Foods executive Francisco Unanue hired Corinne Oltz of Wild Animal World to bring a 62-pound cougar to entertain his 7 year old and their guests.  The party ended badly when the cougar mauled a 4-year-old guest. An investigator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told the Herald that the cat’s bite “was a fraction of an inch from going to the brain stem. That would have killed the kid instantly.” The Kendall-based Wild Animal World — who has been cited in two similar past attacks — faces a misdemeanor charge of allowing injury to the public. The girl suffered severe lacerations to her eyelid, left cheek and ear. Doctors sewed back part of her severed ear.  Georgia, the cougar, was euthanized last week as part of a rabies test.  In 1999, Oltz was cited in a similar attack, also in Coral Gables. In 2001, a Wild Animal World leopard attacked a child at a company picnic in Broward County. “That one was a fraction of an inch from going to the brain stem.” remembered FFW Lt. Pat Reynolds, who is investigating the Coral Gables attack.

December 6, 2006 Beijing, China: A leopard was shot dead by local police after escaping from its cage the Yuanyangchi Zoo. The zookeeper failed several times to shoot the leopard with a hand-made bow and anesthetic arrow before being attacked and injured by the irritated animal. The police then shot the leopard dead. The zoo did not have a valid operation license. The animal keepers were also found to lack official qualifications for raising wildlife.

December 3, 2006 Zafra, Spain: A circus tiger in Spain ripped off the left arm of a 31 year old Polish man when he moved closer to have his picture made.  Hospital officials in Zafra said the man was in a serious condition.

November 24, 2006 Ontario, Canada: The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals removed a lion, eight dogs, six cats, two cockatoos and one turtle from the Kerwood Wildlife Education Centre after receiving complaints about animals in distress. “The (lion’s) pen was built into the wall,” Grandel said. He was in his own filth and the stench of dead flesh could be smelled from the road, more than 30 metres from the home.

November 24, 2006 Evansville, IN: Animal trainer Wade Burck was clawed by a tiger during a performance of the Hadi Shrine Circus. Burck received hospital treatment, including stitches, for wounds to his left forearm and leg.

November 19, 2006 Nashville, TN: Wildlife Coordinator Walter Cook says the animal spotted at large near Warner Park is either an African caracal or a Eurasian lynx and not a cougar as was thought previously. Both animals are legal to own as pets without a special permit and are often turned loose when they are no longer wanted.

November 15, 2006 Gulf Breeze Zoo, FL: For the second time in less than a week, The Zoo in Gulf Breeze has had difficulties with its large cats. The compound was closed after two cougars escaped from their pens for several hours. About 30 visitors had to move to secured areas while a search was conducted. According to news reports, an opening in the animals’ enclosure was big enough to allow them to slip away.  One cat was recaptured after about an hour, but the second cougar took a little longer to find. It was hit by two tranquilizer darts, but hid until an Escambia County Sheriff ’s Office helicopter used infrared cameras to find it.

November 13, 2006 Gulf Breeze, FL: Nineteen-year-old Adrienne Leopard, a zookeeper at the Zoo of Northwest Florida, was taken to a local hospital after she was injured by a leopard.  “She was too close to one of our big cats,” said Doug Kemper, executive director of the zoo. The leopard snagged her sleeve with one of its claws and pulled her arm inside (the cage). “He was just being playful,” Kemper said. “But even when they don’t intend to hurt us, they have all the tools to do so. (Our bodies) just can’t stand up to it.”  The Zoo of NW FL is located at 5701 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, Florida.

November 11, 2006 Berlin, Germany: A Persian leopard attacked and killed a zoo worker who was cleaning its cage.  The zoo director found the 23-year-old dead from a bite to the neck. A door between the stall and an outdoor cage for the Persian leopard appeared to have been accidentally left open.

November 7, 2006 Aurora, OR: A three year old male Serval escaped from Crystal Bacon’s home in the 12000 block of Fargo Road NE and remains at large. Deputies found the cat about 1:30 a.m. today, and Bacon came to get it but she told deputies the animal got away again on her way home.

November 1, 2006 Plymouth, England: The new owners (Mee Family) of a Devon wildlife park faced a serious challenge when a jaguar escaped. Big cat Sovereign found a way out of his pen and into a tigers’ enclosure at the Dartmoor Wildlife Park before he was sedated by keepers. Campaign group, the Captive Animals’ Protection Society (CAPS), said the escape was “not acceptable”. The escape, believed to have been caused by human error, is being investigated by South Hams Council.

October 25, 2006 Coply, TWN, OH: USDA inspector, Norma Harlan, was attacked by a white tiger during an inspection at Summit County’s L&L Exotic Animal Farm owned by Lorenza Pearson. The 14 year old female tiger reached out and pulled her toward the cage, then managed to get her arm into her mouth.  Harlan was treated at Akron General Medical Center.  She previously had inspected the farm on Oct. 12 and was concerned about two tigers and one lion cub.  In 1983, Pearson’s 2-year-old son was killed by a Bengal tiger. In 1997, his 2-year-old grandson was attacked. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited Pearson for 900 violations. Witnesses described Pearson’s farm as largely unsanitary, lacking in federal safety measures and nutritional standards, and extremely lax in veterinary record-keeping regulations.

October 16, 2006 Fleetwood, NC: Susan Thomas received severe injuries at the New River Zoo when she crossed the safety barrier fence and put her arm into a leopard’s cage.  Owner Keith Stroud, after a short struggle, was able to get the leopard to release Thomas’ arm. The recommendation from the state was that the leopard be euthanized which has already occurred. “This is a lose-lose situation for everyone involved. My hands were tied after the state made their recommendation and I had no choice. I was unable to save the cat’s life” said the Animal Control officer. Susan Thomas told authorities that the zoo owner, Keith Stroud was with her and encouraged her to cross the barrier and pet the leopard.  As a result, the zoo has been closed pending a full investigation.

October 9, 2006 Red Rock, NV: The owner of a bobcat that mauled three dogs in Red Rock has been found.  The escaped bobcat’s name is Katrina, and she is thirteen months old. The Antelope Valley owner told county workers she was tied up on a leash Thursday night, and somehow got away. One dog, Ace, was put down after suffering life-threatening injuries. October 8, 2006 LaFollette (Wate) TN: Police arrested Jerome Love on 87 counts of animal cruelty after discovering nearly a hundred pets in his yard. Officials describe the animals living conditions as deplorable. An African serval was confiscated as part of the exotic menagerie.

October 7, 2006 Los Angeles, CA: Tiger Escapes Handler Before Photo Shoot in Hesperia. The tiger got loose at the Cinema Safari Zoo, a facility at which animals are trained for film and educational programs. Officials said a handler was preparing the tiger for a photo shoot when it tried to attack a donkey. The tiger was shot with a tranquilizer and officials surrounded the animal. Officials from the Hesperia Zoo repeatedly declined to comment, stating that the zoo is private property and the media is not welcome.

October 4, 2006 Beijing, China: A circus lion startled by the audience at a show in eastern China leapt a two meter high barrier and plunged into the crowd, injuring three people including a woman who suffered a miscarriage. The lion was performing for a small roaming circus. Frightened by noise from the 200-strong audience, it lunged into the panicked crush of spectators. “One pregnant woman was crushed and suffered a miscarriage from the shock,” the report said. “Because the lion was rented, it didn’t trust the trainers,” it added. Circus staff and police chased the escaped lion as it jumped walls and rooftops, but nets and anesthetic dart guns failed to catch it, and police shot the animal dead.

September 27, 2006 Las Vegas Zoo, NV: A sick and starving mountain lion was dropped off at the Las Vegas Zoo. The 50 lb, declawed, neutered cub was obviously a house pet, but wore out his welcome when he started to get bigger. The zoo director says the one year old was dropped off in the middle of the night, found in a wire cage at the front entrance. Staff members say he’d clearly been starved and was severely malnourished.

September 22, 2006 Alaska Hwy B.C.: Police and conservation officials caught a Siberian tiger that escaped from a truck during an accident in northeastern B.C. The accident left one person in hospital with serious injuries.  The crash occurred near a former exotic animal petting zoo, where the tiger continues to live. The feline was being taken from his home when the accident occurred.

September 13, 2006 Balm, FL: Lancelot Kollmann stumbled inside a cage with a 250-pound tiger named Rula. He paid in blood. The last in a long line of lion tamers escaped the cage with cuts on his left shoulder and a gash on his lip that took stitches to close. Kollmann’s family has been in traveling circuses for more than 200 years. His grandfather was a lion tamer. His father and uncles owned big cats.  He is licensed by the state of Florida and USDA to exhibit exotic animals, including two leopards, four jaguars, one elephant, five lions and 14 tigers.  As of 2011 Kollman works for the Hawthorn Circus after losing his own license.

September 8, 2006 Queensland Zoo, Australia: Tim Husband locked 30 staff into a lodge on the Out of Africa Lion and Animal Reserve while he threw rocks at Goldie the 2 year old lion and shouted at him until the big cat eventually crawled back through a hole in his enclosure at the zoo that was caused by a grass cutter.

September 7, 2006 Davenport, FL: Darryl Atkinson, founder of the Horseshoe Creek Wildlife Foundation was arrested on charges of keeping a Bengal tiger in a cage that is too small and unsafe, said a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission arrest report. Since 2003, Atkinson has been cited more than 20 times for not having large enough cages for animals kept on the animal farm west of Davenport. He was cited an additional four times in December 2005 on the same charges, the wildlife commission said. The citations usually result in a fine, but Atkinson faces 11 first-degree misdemeanors because of the numerous previous charges he has racked up over the years.

August 26, 2006 Chippewa Falls, WI: A bobcat was killed at the Irvine Park Zoo in Chippewa Falls after it wandered into the cougar cage.  A keeper had left the door open, but officials also say that the antiquated cages were partly to blame.

August 22, 2006 Tampa, FL Lowry Park Zoo: An open cage at Lowry Park Zoo led to Sumatran tiger named Enshalla being shot to death by the zoo’s chief executive officer Lex Salisbury.  The CEO had recently fired a long term keeper who was considered too concerned about the animals’ welfare in favor of hiring staff who would not speak up for the animals.  A keeper with only two weeks of training with tigers was left by himself in charge.  AZA, USDA and the FWCC all acknowledged that there is no standardized training required. To view a list of all of the incidents reported in the press about Lowry Park Zoo click HERE

August 22, 2006 Peterborough, Ontario Peterborough’s Riverview Zoo: For the second time in a year a bobcat has escaped an open cage at the zoo.

July 18, 2006 Saratoga County Fair, NY: A white tiger owned by the the Ashville Game Farm scratched 4-year-old Riley Willard of Milton at the fairgrounds. The boy suffered a gash about an inch long and needed 14 stitches to close the wound. He was sitting on a bench positioned in front of Calcutta the 2-year-old white tiger on display as part of the backdrop for pictures of kids holding exotic animals.  The game farm’s owner, Jeffrey W. Ash, of Lick Springs Road, was charged with a misdemeanor and was cited for a violation after the incident, according to the DEC.  The Environmental Conservation Police charged Ash with failing to exercise due care in safeguarding the public from attack by a wild animal that caused bodily harm. The charge carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and a $500 fine. Ash was also ticketed for violating a condition of a DEC permit that states he must maintain the tiger in a cage that is not in contact with humans. The violation is punishable by up to 15 days in jail and a fine of $250. Ash was in court Jan. 2007 to answer a felony forgery charge in connection with providing a forged insurance certificate to the Saratoga County Fair last summer, officials said.

July 12, 2006 Dublin Zoo, Ireland: A teenage girl has been savaged by a rare tiger in a zoo. The 19-year-old put her arm through a wire mesh fence where two Amur Siberian tigers were resting. Parents and children looked on in horror as the tiger lunged at her and grabbed her arm trying to pull her through the fence. She was taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital where her condition was described as stable.

July 2, 2006 Moscow Circus: Doctors used nearly 100 stitches on Artur Bagdasarov for slash and puncture wounds when a tiger named Caesar attacked during a performance. “The tiger attacked him and started to maul him.  I rushed in and shot (a stun gun) into his jaws, and he pulled back.” said a co worker. “This tiger is just four years old and he’s been in our troupe since birth, so no one ever expected this kind of event to happen.  But, if we were to shoot every tiger that attacks us, there wouldn’t be any remaining,” his sister said.  Read more HERE

June 26, 2006 Atlanta, GA: An African serval escaped from its pen at a Buckhead home about a week ago. The wildcat weighs about 30 pounds and belongs to a licensed breeder, who has taped “lost serval cat” fliers to mailboxes in the area.  The cat, named Webbie, is declawed, according to fliers posted by her owner, Fred Boyajian, around the Mount Paran neighborhood. Boyajian is the same breeder who last year had a lynx escape from his Buckhead property. That wildcat was recaptured after a two-week period.

June 21, 2006 Kaufman, TX: A tiger chased down and mauled Donnie Roberts at Marcus Cook’s  Zoo Dynamics when a 300 lb Bengal tiger jumped a fence.  He says the tiger threw him down on his hip and got on his neck.  Roberts says he thought the tiger would kill him, but managed to stay calm. The tiger ripped off his ear and left claw marks over his body. Roberts says he believes he has about two thousand stitches.

June 5, 2006 Fayetteville, NC: Animal control officer, Christine Gallagher, found herself dealing with a serval, a cheetah look-alike native to East Africa pacing nervously in a neighborhood. The big cat was rounded up and taken to Cumberland County Animal Shelter.

June 4, Kiev, Ukraine: A lion killed a man who climbed into its enclosure at the Kiev zoo.  He used a rope to climb down into an enclosure with four lions. Witnesses said the man told them that he believed God would not allow the lions to hurt him.

May 16, 2006 Little Rock, AR: Michael Haney was forced to turn over his pet mountain lion to an animal shelter by the Game & Fish Department because Haney refused to apply for a permit to keep her.  Haney says it would have never hurt anyone. He even has pictures of his daughter playing with the lion. “When she was little, I couldn’t keep her out of the bed with my kid,” says Haney. “She’s going to Gainesville, Fla.,” he says. “I’ve got to have a kidney transplant and I don’t have anywhere to keep her anymore.”

May 14, 2006 White Hills, AZ: Jonathan Kraft runs Keepers of the Wild animal sanctuary. He told long-time friend Linda Faso that two of his tigers — Zeus and Nico — attacked a woman this month sending her into surgery at University Medical Center.  USDA spokesman Darby Holladay stated, “There is an open investigation against Keepers of the Wild.” Holladay also said the agency started investigating this week. “Suspension of license. Revocation of license or civil penalty or monetary fine,” he continued could result.

May 7, 2006 Johannesburg, Sun City, South Africa: Tiger nearly rips arm off 5 year old girl at Predator Park. Helen Catherine Grant, 5, from Rustenburg, was injured after she had tried to stroke the tiger while on a family outing to the park. The tiger got hold of her hand and then her arm. Her uncle had to kick the tiger, Ruby, in the face before she let go of the girl. The arm was attached only by a piece of skin on the upper arm by the time the tiger let go. Last Friday doctors were worried that the arm was too cold, and they feared that veins might have collapsed. “The arm is making good process and the surgery was successful. We don’t know yet if follow-up surgery would be necessary and how long she will have to remain in hospital,” said Grant.

May 7, 2006 Bulgaria: A tiger has managed to escape its cell in the Varna zoo, on the Black Sea coast. Soon after that, however, the beast was caught and fetched back to its house, local media informed. The Varna zoo is located literally on the premises of the unique Sea Garden of the city, where hundreds of families take regularly a weekend walk.

April 21, 2006 Shanghai, India: Lions at the Shanghai Zoo scratched a man who was teasing them by sticking his leg through the bars and wiggling it around. He admitted to having done so daily for three years before getting caught.

April 20, 2006 Gonzales County, TX: After a 7 year battle to rescue 2 tigers and 11 bears from living in transport cages on David Richtman’s farm authorities were finally able to seize the animals under cruelty charges and failure to register and place them in accredited sanctuaries.  The tigers were living in 4 1/2 x 8 foot enclosures for the past 9 years and the bears could not even stand up in their cages.  Read more…

April 6, 2006 Duxbury (15 Mi. E. of Sandstone) MN: Cindi Gamble was mauled to death by one of her tigers at the USDA inspected Center for Endangered Cats that she had co owned with Craig Wagner who was wanted for animal abuse in WI.  Wagner now runs Great Cats World Park in southern Oregon. The sheriff said one of the drop doors was apparently left open, leaving Gamble exposed to the tiger.  She died of crushing injuries to her throat and blood loss.  Investigators said the tiger was so out of control that they had to kill the cat to get to the body. Vet reports revealed that the 10 year old tiger only weighed 260 lbs; half of what it should because it was starving. Read more…

March 19, 2006 Palatka, FL: The Putnam County Fair will still open Monday even though a fair worker was bitten by a tiger in an exhibit there the day before.  Josip Marcan‘s traveling side show of white and tabby tigers has had a fair worker mauled. According to reports a tendon was severed and the worker was rushed to Shands hospital.  The state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission inspects every traveling exotic exhibit like this one. This particular show passed a state review just two weeks ago, Officer Kelley said. That is precisely the problem.  Read more…

March 25, 2006 Santa Barbara, CA: State of California orders Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch to be shut down and now Jackson is selling off his exotic animals, including elephants, tigers, orangutans, crocodile, and giraffes. A later report states that Jackson’s tigers went to Shambala but that he never paid for their care. (The Daily Record)

March 9, 2006 Point Breeze, PA: A 42 pound African Serval named Mr. Bigglesworth was confiscated from Mark Nernberg after his second escape.  The bottle raised pet had been loose for over a month back in August (eating what?) and was returned to his owner with the understanding that the owner aquire a permit to keep him.  At the time of his second reported escape the owner had failed to obtain a permit and so the animal is being held pending the outcome of the case. To see video of people who advocate the keeping of dangerous animals as pets, while downplaying the escapes and risks involved, visit this link CLICK HERE

March 4, 2006 VA: Marc Bradley, of the Snowflake community, was charged with importing and possessing an undesirable and predatory animal.  The lion is 7 months old and is still considered a cub, but it weighs about 100 pounds and “is big enough to put a hurtin’ on somebody,” said Julia Dixon, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.  The cub was confiscated pending trial.

February 26, 2006 Moscow Zoo: Girl loses Finger Stroking “Cuddly” Leopard.  A snow leopard in the Moscow Zoo bit a finger off a girl’s hand and ate it when she tried to pat the animal that she thought looked cuddly. A 19-year-old student, Elena, was walking in the zoo with her friend, Moskovsky Komsomolets daily reported on Sunday. Passing the big cats section, she was delighted to see the beautiful snow leopard, or ounce. The animal looked so peaceful that Elena decided to touch it through the cage and it instantly clawed hold of her and would not let go.  Elena managed to free her hand, but half of her right-hand middle finger remained in the show leopard’s mouth. The animal swallowed its prey in a second. The girl’s friend called an ambulance, and the doctors took the victim to the hospital and attended to her wounds. In a day she was able to leave hospital. http://www.mosnews.com/news/2006/02/26/fingeroff.shtml

February 25, 2006 Devon Zoo, UK: A Devon zoo maintenance worker had his hand punctured by a lion while trying to mend a fence. Indu, a two-year-old Asiatic, bit the worker’s hand as he replaced a fence separating the lions from tigers at Paignton Zoo. ”A first aider was able to help until paramedics arrived.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4735920.stm

February 24, 2006 San Antonio, TX: A cheetah at the San Antonio Zoo escaped from an enclosure by climbing over an approximately 10-foot-high fence into a tree and then jumping to the ground. She was loose for 20 minutes before being tranquilized and returned to the cage.

February 15, 2006 Birmingham Zoo, AL: A worker at the Birmingham Zoo is being treated for scalp wounds Wednesday after being attacked by a lion. Dr. William Foster, director of the zoo, said Melissa Wright was taken to UAB Hospital. Foster said she was conscious and talking. The attack happened as zoo workers fed animals and moved them from their overnight holding area to their outdoor exhibit area. http://www.nbc13.com/news/7085199/detail.html#

February 1, 2006 Willmar, MN: The 80-pound female cougar was spotted Tuesday morning near Kennedy Elementary School. Police and local animal professionals tracked the cat around the neighborhood for two hours, shot it with four tranquilizers and finally corralled and caged it around 10 a.m. Since then, nobody has come forward to claim the cougar, but officials believe it isn’t wild. “This is not a releasable animal,” said Dr. John Baillie with the Wildcat Sanctuary. “This is not a wild animal that strayed there. This is someone’s pet.”

January 30, 2006 Fort Wayne, IN: A tiger escaped an enclosure at the Fort Wayne Zoological Society when a keeper failed to close a gate separating the enclosure from an aisle where the keeper was working. The keeper escaped to an unoccupied area and the tiger was tranquilized and returned to the enclosure.

January 10, 2006 Wellington Zoo, New Zealand: An unlocked door allowed two lions to get into an enclosure at Wellington Zoo while their keeper was laying out their food. When keeper Bob Bennett tripped trying to escape, they mauled him as patrons watched. He suffered 20 puncture wounds to his arms, back, shoulders and neck, and spent three days in hospital after the 20-minute attack. “I remember those canines sinking into my shoulder, and I thought my days were over,” said Bennett. You can watch that video of the mauling HERE

January 6, 2006 Center Hill, FL: Girl mauled when cougar escapes at Robert Baudy’s Savage Kingdom. A teenage volunteer was mauled by a mountain lion when he escaped after she left the door open. It is alleged that alcohol and drug abuse is to blame for the continued decline of Savage Kingdom and that the facility’s owner tried to keep the press and authorities from knowing about the incident by treating the mauled young woman with expired antibiotics.  A tree worker managed to get ropes around the escaped cat’s throat and he was strangled to death.  The girl ended up in the hospital and Florida’s Wildlife Conservation Commission investigated the matter. More about Savage Kingdom.

2005

December 18, 2005 Zoo tiger kills man who was fleeing arrest. Gerber said the man was naked when he was found. His clothes had been ripped from his body and the shreds were found in the enclosure too. The man fell about 10m into the tigers’ den. Marks indicated that the body was dragged. More…

December 13, 2005 NJ: Bergen County Zoo’s escaped ocelot is recaptured.  Zookeepers believe she had been wandering in and around the zoo’s property, feasting on field mice and squirrels for two weeks. Last week’s snow may have cut off the food supply, forcing the ocelot back toward home, said Tim Gunther, the zoo director.

December 9, 2005 Foley, AL: Joe Higginbotham, owner of Kids Country Zoo said the 2-year-old male tiger became unruly so he killed him. The tiger’s body has been send to a taxidermist for mounting and will be on display here at the zoo,” Higginbotham told the Mobile Register.

December 1, 2005 Greensboro, NC: Sabre’s owner, Megan Morris, could be cited by animal control if the loose Serval turns out to be Sabre again. The feline would then be given to a humane society or wildlife refuge or euthanized if no appropriate home can be found.

November 30, 2005 Delmont, SD: A declawed mountain lion was shot by a hunter.  That indicates the cat probably was raised in captivity. (duh) “The hunter claimed it just stood there about 10 feet away from him,” he said. Vandel said it might be difficult to find out where the cat came from because the GF&P does not regulate captive wild animals. “A lot of times, unless there are some local ordinances, they may exist as somebody’s pets – we don’t find out about them for a long time,” he said.

November 19, 2005 Greenwich, NY: Jeff Ash, owner of the Ashville Game Farm was cited by the DEC in 2004 after a wolf escaped from the zoo and was never found. Ash pleaded guilty to a charge that he didn’t provide proper housing for the animal. After Tahan, a 300-pound golden tabby tiger, broke out of her cage the DEC issued Ash a ticket for the same violation. Tahan was sedated with a tranquilizer dart about two miles away from the game farm after she broke through the roof of her cage. PETA sent a letter to the USDA calling for the agency to investigate Ash referring to USDA reports from 2002 and 2003, in which PETA called Ash a “chronic violator of the Animal Welfare Act” because of accusations he failed to maintain clean cages, allowed water troughs to freeze over and failed to keep accurate records.

November 11, 2005 Lisbon: A circus tiger tore off a woman’s arm when she put her hand into its cage to stroke it, a newspaper reported. The 24-year-old Romanian woman worked at the Circo Atlas circus but was off-duty when the attack occurred.  Her arm could not be re attached.

October 23, 2005 Knox County, OH: Siberian Tiger Bites Boy at road side zoo. A 10-year-old Columbus-area boy got too close to a Siberian tiger that bit him Knox County Sheriff David Barber said. Ethan Newman of 1011 Colony Way in Perry Township was bitten on the leg in a fenced compound at the Siberian Tiger Foundation off Deal Road, Barber said. The park is 2 miles southeast of Gambier. The foundation is owned by David and Diana Cziraky who charge customers for a “close encounter” in which they enter a compound with Siberian tigers chained to posts, the sheriff said. The boy and his father, Robert, were in the compound with a trainer for a close encounter when the incident occurred.

October 7, 2005 Deluth, MN: A Lake Superior Zoo’s keeper was bitten by a 400-pound Siberian tiger was hospitalized with puncture wounds. The zookeeper was bitten Thursday while he helped move the tiger to its cage from the Lake Superior Zoo’s animal care center. “If you’ve got a tiger attached to your arm, (30 seconds) is a long time. “Getting a tiger to release when it’s semiconscious is quite challenging. The jaws go into a lock position. He’s not about to let go.” The zookeeper who was hospitalized was being held overnight at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth . Doctors cleaned out his wounds and were monitoring him for nerve damage, Janis said.

September 28, 2005 Alfred, Canada: A tiger was found wandering down the highway. The zoo is trying to figure out how the tiger was able to leave its enclosure. The family-owned and operated Papanack Zoo has been breeding exotic animals and birds since the early 1980s.

September 28, 2005 Lewis County, WA: A 5-year-old boy was tackled by one of his grandfather’s pet tigers. The tiger scratched the boy’s leg and gave him a puncture wound on his foot.

September 23, 2005 Shelbyville, IN: DNR is poised to seize 24 tigers, 6 leopards and 1 mountain lion from Dennis Hill’s Flatrock Exotics because the conditions they reported as being horrific.  Dennis Hill was the breeder of Shere Khan.  The tigers were found living in a six-inch deep mixture of mud, feces and urine.   Free Online

September 16, 2005 Dallas, TX The 4-month-old male tiger was found darting in and out of traffic near the Leary exit on Interstate 30. How the cub ended up on the interstate was a mystery until Thursday. Horn said the tiger’s owner was driving through Bowie County on his way to the Dallas area when the animal escaped from a kennel in the back of the owner’s truck. “The tiger jumped out while the truck was moving.” The owners passed through Bowie County about 1:30 a.m. Monday and did not realize the big cat was missing until they reached Dallas.

September 14, 2005 San Diego, CA: Officials with the San Diego Zoo had some anxious moments Wednesday when one of its more exotic cats got out of its enclosure. A caracal, a reddish brown wildcat native to Southwest Asia and East Africa, escaped when a zookeeper was cleaning its cage and a hose got caught in gate. Zoo officials told NBC 7/39 that animal-care staff then surrounded the caracal with nets, cages and tranquilizer guns. About 45 minutes after it escaped, a zoo worker grabbed the caracal and it was quickly returned to its cage.

September 5, 2005 Coal Valley, IL: A male lion cub born in June at the Niabi Zoo here died Saturday after a door to his exhibit area malfunctioned and fell on him. The cub was half-way between the indoor and outdoor portions of his exhibit area, he said, when a pulley on the 80-pound door that separates the areas broke, causing the door to fall on him.  “We are not sure why it broke. We are investigating,” he said.

August 22, 2005 Zimbabwe, Africa: A 50 year old Japanese diplomat was visiting a 49 acres Lion and Cheetah wildlife park when she was attacked and killed by a hungry lion.

August 18, 2005 Mound Valley, KS: (AP) – A Siberian tiger attacked and killed a teenage girl who was posing for photos at a family-run animal facility called Lost Creek Animal Sanctuary.  Free Online Update: 11/18/06 Lost Creek Operators Doug and Keith Billingsly cannot engage in any activity for which a license under the Animal Welfare Act is required, until 2011 according to the ruling from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.  That includes, breeding and selling, exhibiting or any public use of the big cats. In its 10-page decision issued Nov. 3, the Agriculture Department cited several violations of the Animal Welfare Act at Lost Creek, including allowing the public to have direct contact and pose for photographs with adult tigers. It also did not establish and maintain a program of adequate veterinary care to prevent and control injuries, the ruling stated. The ruling says there were not adequate methods of tranquilization available at the facility. Doug Billingsly’s nephew and authorities had to shoot and kill Shakka after the animal attacked Hilderbrand. The ruling also alleges that the Billingslys did not allow officials with the Agriculture Department’s animal inspection service to inspect the operation on four separate occasions from September 2004 to January 2005, months before the Siberian tiger attacked and killed Hilderbrand. Under the terms of the probation, the Billingslys can be fined $12,600 each if they violate the Animal Welfare Act again. They also were ordered to get rid of all animals subject to the act.

August 15, 2005 Clackamas, OR: Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed a pet lynx after it pounced on a six-year-old girl and began clawing her head.  Deputies said the owner reported the pet missing Friday to a Clackamas veterinary clinic, which contacted the sheriff’s office.  Attempts to trap the animal had failed. http://bigcatescapesmaulings.blogspot.com/

August 6, 2005 Mayfield, NY: A baby Siberian tiger was confiscated by NY DEC from Steve Salton. The cub was purchased in OH for $1000.00 and declawed and spayed but the owner was in violation of NY license laws and the state is waiting for the cub to heal before placing her in a sanctuary.

August 1, 2005 Brit Spaugh Zoo, KS: Bart the cougar walked through an open door on his cage in the North American section of the zoo and came face to face with a family.

July 23, 2005 Africa: The owner of the Addo Croc and Lion Ranch, Lourens van Straaten died after being mauled by a lion that he had bottle raised. Van Straaten, a taxidermist by trade, was given a suspended fine in 1994 for trading in rhino horn. He was also at the centre of controversy in 2004 when allegations were made about the condition of his lions and whether he had the necessary “performing animal” permits for the public handling of lion cubs. Van Straaten is not the first Eastern Cape lion breeder to fall victim to his charges. In 1996, Shumba Safaris’ owner, JP Kleinhans, was mauled to death by one of his lions at his lodge near Patensie.

July 21, 2005 Pelican Rapids, MN: Dr. Roy Alexander Cordy is in violation of his order to remove all of the exotic animals from his farm and the tiger will be confiscated and killed if he doesn’t find a place for the cat.  Cordy, 43, pleaded guilty last year to depriving an animal on his farm of necessary food, water and shelter.

July 8, 2005 Peoria, IL: A Frisco Bros. Petting Zoo employee was injured when a 2-year-old tiger grabbed his hand with her front claws as he was removing a feeding tray from an enclosure. The man was taken to the emergency room, and the tiger was quarantined by animal control for 30 days.

July 6, 2005 East London: Lion Park A bottle raised yearling tiger attempted to rip out the jugular of a 17 year old girl visiting him at the zoo. She was stabilised at the scene and taken to St Dominic’s Hospital where she underwent a two-hour operation to repair the damage to her throat. Free online …

July 1, 2005 Richmond, IA: Craig Perry, 42, of Center Point, Iowa, said a tiger mauled his left leg moments before he was to pose with 14 of the animals for photographs at an arena on Hawthorn Corp.’s property, at 9819 N. Solon Road, Richmond.  Perry is the owner of Iowa-based Perry’s Wilderness and Zoo Inc. The facility where the alleged attack occurred is the Hawthorn Corp. which was charged in April 2003 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with 47 violations of the Animal Welfare Act after 16 of its elephants were exposed to a human strain of tuberculosis.  In May 2004, Hawthorn Corp. admitted to 14 animal-welfare violations and agreed to pay a $200,000 fine and remove the elephants from the property.

June 27, 2005 Punta Gorda, FL: Charlotte County gives Lions, Tigers and Bears 6 months to leave or get rid of their lions, tigers and bears for violation zoning laws.  Free online…

June 25, 2005 Little Falls, MN: AP- A lion and tiger, two of ten caged cats at Best Buy Auto, owned by auto mechanic Chuck Mock bolted from their cage and pounced on a 10-year-old boy leaving Russell Lala of Royalton, MN., fighting for his life at Hennepin County Medical Center. The child is now a quadriplegic and on a respirator due to the severe injuries to his spinal cord and brain.  The lion and tiger were killed. This was the second known mauling at the garage.  Free Online…

June 22, 2005 TX: Two rare white tiger cubs seized from a man trying to drive them into Mexico have found a new home in Wise County.

June 21, 2005 OH: Heaven’s Corner owner Kord McGuire recalls the day a run-in with the 200-pound cougar almost cost him his life. “I was transferring Zeb, who I bottle-fed when he was a baby, to my traveling van to go to an educational program for some Cub Scouts in Camden . Suddenly Zeb leaped up and took my arm in his mouth. He also bit me on the side, narrowly missing my kidney. As I fought him off, he went for my foot, shredding the brand new Nike tennis shoe I was wearing. I finally escaped by climbing on top of the cage.”

June 14, 2005 Conway, AR: An unemployed sheet metal worker, facing an order to appear in court and a possible fine, says he’ll go to jail before he gives up his aging pet cougar because of his violations of the exotic pet regulations.

June 11, 2005 Lima, OH: Perry Township resident Bradley Craft, 33, was attacked June 11 by his 3-year-old, 160-pound pet mountain lion, Niko. Health Commissioner David Rosebrock said Craft grabbed the cat’s tail to prevent it from attacking his mother. Niko then turned on Craft, who was building an enclosure for the exotic pet at the time. Craft was bitten in the leg by the animal, Ellis said, adding that he had treated other animal attack victims at his practice. One of those lost a foot because of a pet bear.

June 11, 2005 Underwood, MN: Acrhangel Lion killed after escaping from cage in Otter Tail County. Attempts to contact the owner Mrs. Mears, were unsuccessful. On May 28th she was given 10 days to find homes for the 9 tigers and the lions in the basement her boyfriend David Piccirillo had left behind when he took tiger cubs to Florida for photo ops.

June 7, 2005 Beaverton, OR: Deborah Walding admitted buying and selling of endangered ocelots as part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors. As part of her guilty plea, Walding agreed to pay a $25,000 fine, cooperate with investigators probing animal trafficking and, in a unique twist, to speak publicly about her conviction at two upcoming national exotic cat conferences.

June 6, 2005 Johnson City, TN: A bobcat escaped after his owner died and is being sent to a wildlife rehabilitator in Unicoi county.

June 2, 2005 Princeton, NJ: “I could feel the bones cracking and the warm blood in my eye,” Blakney recalled. “After some time, I decided he finally has me and I should play dead before I pass out. He remembers that the right side of his lower jaw was in about 17 pieces and that a doctor told him it wouldn’t work to try putting them back together. So instead, surgeons made a metal jaw. Blakney quickly pointed out that he didn’t feel the attack was the mountain lion’s fault. “He was just playing out his instinct and was a very good lion through all my years with him,” “I raised him on a bottle from the age of six weeks said Blakney.  He had the lion killed so that he didn’t have to have rabies shots and had the mate killed as well so that she wouldn’t hurt anyone, despite the fact that she was not involved.  He sold their pelts to his neighbor. More…

June 1, 2005 Long Island, NY: A Long Island man accused of chaining and beating his wife as two leopards crouched nearby had created a zoological horror show at his home. In the house were stuffed endangered animals and rotting animal carcasses. Suffolk police busted Anthony Barone on Sunday for the May 20 assault on Anastasia Barone, 33, and in the process discovered the leopards in a dank, feces-laden room. In an unplugged freezer investigators found the rotting carcass of a lynx. Anastasia Barone told authorities the lynx mauled the couple’s 8-year-old son last winter. After the attack, Anthony Barone chained up the lynx, until it strangled to death. Barone was in the process of buying two black leopards, describes himself as a “big-cat trainer, animal lover”. More…

June 1, 2005 Salisbury, NC: Rowan County Park told 6NEWS a veteran employee was feeding the animals when he was bit on the left leg by one of the park’s new bobcats. The worker was treated and released from the hospital.

May 28, 2005 Underwood, MN: A 16-year-old girl was petting a tiger through the bars of a cage at the Arcangel Wildlife Farm when the tiger bit her finger and clawed her hand. The wound required a dozen stitches and three operations to treat an acute infection. The girl also underwent rabies shots.  Underwood woman must get rid of 9 tigers and lion after three people were bitten by cats at her animal farm called Arcangel Wildlife. Mears has 10 days to find homes for the cats or the county will confiscate them.

May 19, 2005 Omaha, NE: A serval on the loose has found a new home. The big cat was captured Wednesday at 59th and Franklin.

May 15, 2005 Kennewick, WA: A 110-pound cougar, likely an escaped pet, was found in the garage of an auto repair shop by a guard after the animal set off a burglar alarm several times. The owner of the shop believed the cougar had been inside during work hours. The animal was removed after being shot with a tranquilizer gun by a Fish and Wildlife Officer.

April 30, 2005 Minneapolis, MN: Tiger attack victim remains in hospital after being attacked by the animals, whose owner, Grant Oly, was in jail on charges he failed to register them. In 2003, a tiger at the site was euthanized after it bit a 31-year-old pregnant woman.

April 25, 2005 Lacey, WA: Serval lost and hybrid found. Donny Roder reported loosing his 40 lb Serval and authorities nabbed a Serval hybrid while looking for the lost pet, but this cat was larger and no owner found.

April 23, 2005 Coon Rapids, MN: A Serval was discovered in the rafters of a garage and taken to the Humane Society. No owner has come forward.

April 21, 2005 Branson, MO: Animal control officials are trying to track a black panther that apparently has been roaming southwest Missouri . McRoy suspects the panther is someone’s pet. Wildlife biologists confirmed from the video that the panther is not native to the region, McRoy said.

April 18, 2005 Jinan, China: A tiger forced out of its pen and mauled a zoo worker to death Sunday in Laizhou city of east China’s Shandong Province, zoo officials and hospital sources confirmed on Monday.

April 12, 2005 China: A desperate father fought in vain to save his eight-year-old son from being mauled to death by a tiger at a zoo in Changde, Central China’s Hunan Province . Mei Changhua climbed over a 3 foot-high barrier to get a better view of the big cats, when a tiger attacked him through the bars of its cage. Despite his father’s efforts, Mei bled to death before reaching hospital.

April 12, 2005 Thackery, IL: A 4-year-old McLeansboro girl is recuperating from injuries sustained Saturday evening when she was bitten by an adult cougar. The animal’s owner, Terry Biggerstaff, 58, shot and killed the animal. Holly Higgins was taken to Hamilton Memorial Hospital where she was treated for a broken arm and lacerations to her hand and arm. Her parents said it took numerous stitches to close the wounds. An emergency room physician asked Holly if she was allergic to anything and she replied, “nothing but big cats”.

March 10, 2005 KIEV: An Amur tiger at Kiev zoo mauled a keeper to death who mistakenly walked into her enclosure.

March 6, 2005 Dent, MN: (AP) Stephanie Truesdell said she was petting a large tiger through the bars of a cage at the Arcangel Wildlife farm near Underwood when the cat gave her a “playful” swipe with its paw and snagged her hand with its claw. Doctors closed the cuts with about a dozen stitches. Since then, an infection set in that required operations to drain the infection, re-close a wound that didn’t heal properly and graft healthy skin to the area. Archangel’s owner, David Piccirillo abandoned the adult cats and headed to Florida to make money off photo ops with the cubs, but was busted at a Motel 6 for not having a FL permit. He left behind his girlfriend with 9 tigers in the yard and lions in the basement in MN.

February 26, 2005 Wellington, FL: A 500-pound tiger escaped from its cage at Panther Ridge Sanctuary located at 14755 Palm Beach Pointe Blvd. Wellington. Judy Berens, the sanctuary owner, stated that Tristan was not her cat and that he was being boarded and cared for by his owner Gail Laviola,  who was solely responsible for the escape and that it was Laviola who was cited for escaped captive wildlife, a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by 60 days in jail or a $500 fine. More than 20 sheriff’s deputies and state wildlife officers armed with rifles were positioned inside and outside the perimeter fence of the facility as the tiger wandered the grounds for more than two hours. Two tranquilizer darts were required to sedate the tiger so that he could be recaptured.  Panther Ridge has 16 large cats, including Amos, a black leopard, and Eros and China, two spotted leopards. Some were left with her; others Berens bought. Video Tristen, the escapee & conditions. (South Florida Sun-Sentinel )

February 23, 2005 Pahrump, NV: A pet leopard at Karl Mitchell’s facility bit off the tip of a woman’s finger. February 23, 2005 Sima Valley, CA: A 400 pound tiger was shot after being tracked for 8 days across 29 miles of heavily populated areas of Ventura County. Abby and Emma Hedengran, owners of Wild World/Tiger Creek Foundation were licensed with a 10 year permit to possess 30 big cats as of 2004.  When the permit expired they could not renew and had to move with 25 cats to the Moorpark area where they rented a trailer and barn and had all of their cats in transport cages and carriers until Ventura County sent them packing.  Federal authorities said charges were filed relating to the possession of exotic cats by Gert “Abby” Hedengran, 56, and his wife, Roena “Emma” Hedengran, 52 in the escape and death of Tuffy the tiger. Their cats were confiscated and relocated to NV. Free Online.

February 12, 2005 Oldsmar, FL: Marcus Cook of Zoo Dynamics, fka Zoo Pros was cited with unsafe handling of captive wildlife, resulting in injury to Sandra Hopps-Caraballo when a white tiger cub he was using for photo opportunities with people and their children bit her on the hand. Cook said the cubs belonged to Ken and Nancy Kraft of Bearcat Hollow who had been indicted on 55 counts of violating the Endangered species Act and the Lacey Act. Marcus Cook was also charged in this grand jury indictment for his involvement. After the cub bit the woman FWC ordered Cook to remove the baby tiger from his public petting routine while in FL. Cook said he was sending the cubs back to the Krafts who have relocated from Racine, MN, to SD where the laws are less strict, but his handler said the cubs had been shipped off to a show in Las Vegas. Two children were reported to have been bitten by Cook’s tiger cubs while he was traveling through TX and one of the cats in his side show was reported to have killed a woman by ripping her arm off. ( St. Petersburg Times )

February 12, 2005 Cut and Shoot, TX: Woman mauled in leopard attack at 6912 Dusty Lane at Wildlife Extravaganza, owned by Reginald “Lefty” Parr. Parr owns two leopards, a cougar, several tigers and a lion. There have been two prior incidents where cats escaped from Parr’s facility. In 1998, two tigers escaped from their cages after a trainer had left them open. Both tigers were later shot. In another incident, two cougars escaped from their cages. At that time, the animals were just housed in cages, which violates the Animal Welfare Act, she said. Following the second incident, Parr lost his exhibitor license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He also was found guilty of several violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including constructing and maintaining housing facilities for animals that are not structurally sound and in good repair, failing to utilize a sufficient number of trained employees to maintain the prescribed level of husbandry practices and failing to establish and maintain programs of disease control and prevention, euthanasia and adequate veterinary care under the supervision and assistance of a veterinarian.

February 7, 2005 Baton Rouge, LA: Eric Drogosch is accused of violating the Animal Welfare Act for denying USDA inspectors access to his facilities, animals and records; providing insufficient housing and care to the animals; and failing to “handle tigers carefully,” which led to a child being injured. “The gravity of the violations alleged in the complaint is great,” the order says. “(Drogosch) has continually failed to comply with the regulations and standards, after having been repeatedly advised of deficiencies.” After five years and the deaths of several tigers USDA finally revoked his license. Free online.

February 4, 2005 Sacramento CA: Sacramento zoo lion kills mate of 15 months. In a zoo there is nowhere to run. Zookeepers describe such killings as rare, but on a national scale, they cannot say how rare. No one, either in industry groups or among federal overseers, keeps nationwide records on captive animals that kill their fellows – or on virtually any other cause of captive animal deaths.

February 1, 2005 Vero Beach, FL: The large golden African Serval, scared and lashing out, was dragging its left leg through the underbrush due to a broken back. Sadly, the animal had to be euthanized. Dangerfield estimated that it was about 2 years old and said it had not been declawed. The cat may have escaped from someone’s private collection, said Dangerfield. (www.tcpalm.com )

February 1, 2005 Winfield, IN: Video and still pictures of the animal aren’t clear enough to determine what it is, Davis said, but the tracks show it’s a feline. Davis estimated it may weigh about 25 to 35 pounds, similar in size to a bobcat – and much smaller than a cougar, which can weigh up to 150 pounds. The animal appeared to be black. Last summer, Davis said, the DNR captured a mixed-breed cat of about the same size and proportions in Hobart , north of Winfield. A dead bobcat was found near Indiana 49 near Chesterton earlier this month by the DNR. The department did not know if it was a wild feline or a former family pet. People sometimes buy exotic animals and then find that they don’t make good pets, he said.

January 30, 2005 Los Angeles, CA: Hollywood Hills residents were under warning today that a serval — a spotted, long-eared African cat that apparently escaped from whoever was keeping it as a pet — is roaming their area. “Keep small children and small pets indoors. Do not leave small children unattended outdoors,” said a Los Angeles Department of Animal Services statement.

January 29, 2005 Sioux Falls, SD: A critically endangered tiger might have to be killed after a man reached through a chain-link fence Tuesday at the Great Plains Zoo and was bitten by the animal. When people are bitten by wild animals, their heads have to be cut off to be tested for rabies, because there are no rabies vaccines approved for use in animals other than cats and dogs.

January 28, 2005 Toronto, Canada: A stripper mauled by a tiger in a Canadian safari park sued for $8,000,000.00 in damages (winning 838k) because her scars meant she could no longer work. Her musician boyfriend, David Balac, won $1.78 million because his injuries left him unable to work as an accordion player. African Lion Safari, near Hamilton, Ontario, west of Toronto, said it is reviewing the ruling, but it insisted the park was safe.

January 27, 2005 Moorpark, CA: Abby and Emma Hedengran, owners of Wild World/Tiger Creek Foundation transferred their cats from a Temecula facility to their new residence and facility in Moorpark. During the move, a Siberian lynx and an adult male Siberian tiger escaped. The lynx was found on the porch of a home near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and tranquilized. The tiger was later shot and killed.

January 20, 2005 Baraboo, WI: An 8-year-old girl was bitten on the chest by an 80-pound, 7-month-old lion cub at Creature Features Pet Store. The girl had to undergo rabies shots.

January 18, 2005 AR: A 400-pound pet tiger was abandoned in the mountains of north central Arkansas along the Buffalo River. The tiger trekked 60 miles over the next four days, returning to his owner’s home and was then taken to a refuge.

January 13, 2005 Petal, MS: A bobcat is on her way to a sanctuary. The adult bobcat was emaciated and infected by buckshot wounds. Her collar was so tight it embedded in her fur. She was spayed and declawed and trailed a chain, adding to the theory that someone illegally kept her as a pet. Unable to hunt without her claws, Rose nearly starved before someone grabbed her chain and turned her over to a local rescue group. Most animals in her situation don’t end up getting placed like she did. Only one out of 20 or 30 avoid being euthanized.

January 11, 2005 Sacramento, CA: A 400 pound DEAD tiger escaped from the back of a truck as the vehicle swerved on Highway 99 in on the way to a lab for a necropsy.

January 9, 2005 Charlotte, Kings Mountain, NC: Two 75-125 pound tiger cubs were found wandering in a neighborhood full of children. These cats are banned in this area and even after the media has shown their pictures all over T.V. no one has stepped forward to claim them. One cub suffered a broken tail and the other a dislocated pelvis when they were apparently thrown from the back of a moving vehicle with electric cords tied around their necks. The cubs were separated and sent to separate animal shelters that are only equipped for dogs and cats. More.

2004

December 24, 2004 Suffolk County, NY: An 8-year-old boy was attacked by his father’s pet leopard. The boy was scratched on the chest and bitten on the neck, and he required medical treatment.

December 10, 2004 Cassville, MO: At 1:14 p.m. Wednesday, Lisa (no last name) at St. John’s Hospital reported a man with a cougar bite.

December 7, 2004 Copenhagen, Denmark: (AP) A rare Siberian tiger was shot and killed Tuesday after it escaped from a downtown zoo by climbing over a 16-foot electrified fence in southern Denmark.

December 5, 2004 Laredo, TX: Texas circus worker bitten by Bengal tiger. A circus staffer working at a show in Texas was injured after getting too close to the tiger cage. The worker’s hand was bitten and mangled by a Bengal tiger. The tiger belongs to the Great Circus of China. Circus managers say the tiger was properly caged at the time. They added that workers know not to go into the cages.

November 20, 2004 Branson West, MO: An 18-year-old volunteer at Predator World spent the night in the hospital after being bitten on the arm by an 80-pound black leopard as he stood next to the cage

November 20, 2004 St. Augustine, FL: (AP) A 14 year old boy was mauled by a 450 lb tiger that was being walked on a leash at the St. Johns County Fair by the cat’s owner, Curt LoGiudice, owner of the Catty Shack Ranch at Jacksonville. The boy and some friends were watching the tiger being moved to the truck when the tiger went for the boy, hooking the boy’s thigh and pulling the boy under him. That’s when the deputies shot the tiger with the Tasers. The handler tried to get between the tiger and the boy, and after the tiger released the boy, it then bit the handler around his neck and head, Suchy said. At one time, the handler’s head was in the tiger’s mouth, Suchy said. LoGiudice has been questioned four times for attacks: One of his cougars bit a 19-month-old in 1999, while an elderly woman was bitten on the arm by a tiger cub in 2000, a trainer suffered 23 puncture wounds from a cougar and a woman sued LoGiudice after the same cougar attacked her, but Florida Game and Fish officials say that these attacks will not cause Curt LoGiudice of Catty Shack Ranch to lose his license to exhibit the cats.  ( Associated Press ) Free Online.

November 10, 2004 Gentry, AR: A tiger pulled the flesh off the right middle finger of Angela Pruitt, 36, of Vian, OK at the Wild Wilderness Drive Thru Safari. The owners of the safari refused to comment on the woman’s injury or provide safety tips for visitors attending the park.

November 10, 2004 Columbia, TN: An 19 month old Serval named Nyla escapes while her owner, Talisa Bowers is out of town when the family dog forced open her gate to get to her food. Nyla had eluded recapture for more than a month last October when she escaped by pushing the door open herself. At this time the declawed Serval is still on the loose with only domestic pets to feed on since she is incapable of capturing real prey. Free Online.

November 3, 2004 Taipei City Zoo: A man who suffers from a mental disorder jumped into the lion’s pit at the zoo. The man climbed the two-story high concrete wall and jumped down into the animal’s home. He suffered only minor bite wounds, unlike the innocent lions, who were anesthetized and quarantined. Free online.

October 2004, CA: Saugus High School hosted a display by Sid Yost of Amazing Animal Actors, who took a lion to a homecoming assembly at the school. Yost has been repeatedly cited and was fined $2,000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act-including failure to handle animals in a way that ensures public safety and the welfare of the animals-after one of his chimpanzees bit someone.

October 30, 2004 Salisbury, MD:A visitor to the Salisbury Zoo had part of his finger torn off when he approached a cage containing a jaguar.

October 29, 2004 Shawnee County, KS: The Wichita Eagle: A mountain lion was found dead shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday night in Shawnee County. “It was a young one, only 50 to 60 pounds, and had been declawed and its canine teeth had been filed down,” We have not been able to verify if this animal belonged to a few people in the area who have permits for mountain lions or if it might have belonged to someone who was keeping one illegally without a permit and then dumped it there,” Ladner said. “They did try to make it appear like the animal was crossing the road.” Free online.

October 22, 2004 Bangkok, Thailand: (Reuters) The bird flu toll among tigers at a Thai zoo has risen to 83, but the keepers who looked after them are free of the deadly disease which has killed 31 people in southeast Asia this year, officials said on Friday. http://bigcatescapesmaulings.blogspot.com/.

September 9, 2004 Chicago, IL: A keeper at Lincoln Park Zoo was seriously injured with multiple bite wounds and lacerations after being attacked by a lion in the outdoor exhibit. The incident forced an evacuation of the zoo.

September 8, 2004 Trenton, MN: An employee was seriously injured, with wounds to his face and arm, by a leopard at the Acadia Zoological Park.

August 31, 2004 Ft. Polk, LA: AP 40 soldiers, several trappers and others searched a military installation and surrounding area for a 100 pound, collared pet tiger for several days. Free online.

August 19, 2004 Punta Gorda, FL: (AP) Two lions were running down Highway 17 in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley.

August 23, 2004 The big cat crises was the August 23, 2004 Cover Story of TIME Magazine.  Read more in that issue by clicking on the cover. Articles cover the threats of vanishing habitat, their endangered status and the problems associated with them being kept as pets.

July 30, 2004 Queens, NY: 450 pound Cole Brothers Circus Tiger belonging to Adriatic Animal Attractions Escapes in New York. Sighting of the tiger walking along the road and through a park causes multi-car accident that resulted in injuries to four adults and a child. The city was sued for 3.5 million by the victims of the wreck.  The circus was restrained from bringing their big cats and elephants to their next gig.

July 27, 2004 Bullitt Co., KY: A two year old Snow Leopard escaped in Shepherdsville, Kentucky from his private owner and has been missing for days.  The owner says he would probably run from people, but that kids and pets shouldn’t be let out.

July 14, 2004 Detroit Lakes, MN: A worker with the Arcangel Wildlife Farm was bitten by a tiger who was on display at a local festival. The leashed tiger lunged at the man and bit him on the arm when the man attempted to move him.

July 14, 2004 Little Falls, MN: A 22-year-old woman was bitten by an African lion when she stuck her hand into a cage while visiting a private collection of pet exotic cats kept at an auto dealership owned by Chuck Mock. The woman suffered a severe laceration to her middle finger and cuts on two other fingers.

July 12, 2004 West Palm Beach – Loxahatchee, FL: Tiger escapes private owner in West Palm Beach and eludes authorities.  In February 2002, Bobo, the 750-pound tiger mauled a woman who was helping Sipek during a photo shoot at his compound. She was bit on the head. After eluding capture for two days, Bobo was shot and killed.

June 14, 2004 Elgin, Canada: A 10-year-old Toronto boy is in London hospital with serious neck and head injuries after being attacked by a tiger. The owner was showing the visitors his 160-kilogram Siberian tiger and led the tiger out on a leash. When the tiger lunged, the boy turned to run and was attacked in the back of the head and neck, suffering injuries that sent him to Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario in London.

June 9, 2004 Copley Twp. OH: Trucks haul away 29 exotic animals. Pearson’s L&L Exotic Animal Farm loses bid to keep lions, tigers, leopards. This is not the first time the farm has drawn attention from the law and from the media, reported Costen. In 1983, tragedy struck when a 250-pound tiger killed Pearson’s 2-year-old son. 2006 Update: The U.S. Department of Agriculture filed a complaint against Pearson and the L&L Exotic Animal
Farm in 2002, but the process to revoke his license stagnated after the hearing was temporarily halted in September 2003. When the hearing resumed Pearson faced 953 violations of the Animal Welfare Act, from February 1997 through February 2006.

June 2, 2004 Landover Hills, MD: A tiger belonging to exhibitor Mitchel Kalmanson escaped from the UniverSoul Circus after fighting with another tiger and attacked an elephant, biting her on the hip. During the escape, there were several elementary schools attending the performance, and children were walking under the tent in the area where the tiger escaped.

May 30, 2004 Chillicothe, OH: (AP) A man whose pet lioness attacked his daughter has given away his second big cat. Charles Peters had to shoot and kill Sheba on Friday evening after the lioness wouldn’t let go of the arm of Peters’ 33-year-old daughter, Lisa Peters. Charles Peters, who lives about 10 miles east of Chillicothe in southern Ohio, said he has kept big cats off and on for about 20 years without a problem. “I had a tiger that used
to pull my granddaughter around by the diaper,” he said. “Gentle as could be.” But now he and his wife, Marty, say they’re done keeping big cats. Ohio has no state prohibition on keeping big cats as pets.

May 15, 2004 Albuquerque, NM: (AP) A frequent Albuquerque zoo visitor whose finger was found bitten off outside the jaguar exhibit has been banned from the zoo for life. The victim denied missing any fingers. But Darnell says a print lifted from the detached finger said otherwise. He says police went to the man’s house and visually confirmed he was the right person.

May 1, 2004 Bangkok, Thailand: A teenage worker at a Thai zoo died on Saturday after being mauled by six tigers in front of more than 100 shocked tourists, an official said. The zoo hit Thai headlines last year after its sale of 100 tigers to China raised suspicions the animals were butchered and used to make traditional medicine.

April 15, 2004 Hollywood, CA: Elisha Cuthbert was bitten by a cougar and had to be rushed to hospital while filming the hit American TV series 24. She says, “My stunt double was petting the animal, so I put my hand out to stroke it and it bit me, it almost ripped my thumb off. I was rushed to hospital with two puncture wounds, one of which went right through my hand, I had a brace on my hand for five weeks.”

April 15, 2004 Indio Hills, CA: Tiger escapes attacks owner. Police say a man called to say that his 200 lb pet tiger knocked him down and pinned him to the ground. We’re told the man is not hurt, but afraid the tiger could get out again.

April 8, 2004 Long Island, NY: Suffolk County Police are Looking For Exotic Cat On Long Island . The 40 lb. Serval Martha Wentz kept in the basement broke out of the window and has been on the loose while Wentz was vacationing in FL.

April 7, 2004 Knoxville, TN: A woman’s pet bobcat escaped from her home in East Knoxville. The bobcat’s owner says he escaped through the kitchen window of her home. This is the third time she has asked authorities to help her find the exotic pet she calls “Brambles.” “I thought it would be pretty neat to own one,” says Harrison . “As I’m finding out, he’s getting me into a lot of trouble.”

March 31, 2004 Cosby, TN: Michael Pulley has been forced to surrender the lion. Michael Pulley owns a nine-month-old lion named Mischa. He says he didn’t know he needed a permit to have her, but the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says the law is clear. Pulley faces charges and possible jail time.

Mar. 17, 2004 Massena, NY: (AP) A 4-year-old was hospitalized after her grandmother’s caged cougar mauled her at the woman’s home in northern New York. The girl told her mother the 160-pound male cat reached through the cage and grabbed her. Aubrey Swart was treated Saturday evening at Massena Memorial Hospital for cuts, bruises to the head and an eye injury, and transferred to Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlngton , Vt.

March 11, 2004 Reno, NV: A volunteer needed more than 15 stitches after a declawed leopard at the Sierra Safari Zoo bit her as she reached into the pen for a food bowl.

Mar. 10, 2004 East Limestone, AL: (AP) A cougar, named Dracula, got out of its cage and spent the night on its owner’s 120-acre farm in Limestone County before being sedated and returned to a pen. Owner, Doug Wells, said Dracula ran out of the pen Sunday when a beef shoulder roast bounced out of the cage at feeding time. Dracula ran past Tom Cahall, who helps Wells on the farm, and when Cahall grabbed for the cat’s nape, it bit Cahall’s arm, requiring stitches.

March 5, 2004 The Star: The SARS corona virus initially jumped to humans from the weasel-like civet cat and other exotic animals. “We saw examples where patients were able to transmit it to a large number of people with minimal contact,” A year later – after 8,098 people in 29 countries contracted the disease and 774 of them died, including 44 in the Toronto area – much about SARS remains unknown.

February 20, 2004 Volusia County, FL: Florida Wildlife agents busted a group traveling with lions, tigers, snakes and alligators Friday for not having a permit for the dangerous animals.One man is jailed and the other, James Garrettson, is escorted out of the state.

February 20, 2004 Red Wing, MN: A jury found a Red Wing man guilty of violating a zoning ordinance for keeping up to eight Siberian tigers at his rural residence.  four people had been bitten and one cat killed after biting a pregnant woman.

February 19, 2004/Beijing, China: A rare Siberian tiger which escaped from an animal park in China’s northeast, mauling a man on the way, returned by itself after eluding authorities for two days.

February 17, 2004 Dade City , FL: “Pet” cougar is found lounging near neighbor’s pool 3/10ths of mile away from his home. Animal’s possessor retrieves animal without incident, but she will have to appear in court for allowing cougar to escape. ( Tampa Tribune )

February 14, 2004 Lake County, IL: Animal control officials are investigating sightings of what might be a cougar on the loose that is thought to be an escaped pet.

February 13, 2004 Elizabethtown, IL (AP) — A 52 year old Hardin County man who kept exotic animals was apparently attacked and killed Thursday by a pet African lion, authorities said.  During the autopsy, a coroner found that the man had suffered numerous puncture wounds and a broken neck. The lion was discovered running loose on the property and was shot and killed by police.Meanwhile a tiger was confiscated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. It came from a guy who had a tiger for a pet. He pulled up to a stop light in Sandwich with his tiger in the back of his pickup truck. An elderly woman was behind him and she called police. The tiger ended up going to a big cat rescue organization in Colorado. It was 10 months old and weighed 220 pounds.

February 9, 2004 New Orleans, LA:  A leopard the family had raised from a cub attacked his owner.  A woman was attacked by a declawed pet leopard she kept in a makeshift 10-foot by 10-foot cage behind her house trailer. The leopard bit her on the head, nearly tearing off her ear and ripping the flesh from her scalp. Sheriff deputies and one of the woman’s relatives shot the leopard four times, killing him.

February 6, 2004 Roanoke, VA: Couple’s big cats violate county law, jury decides.  District Attorney seeks 2000.00 a day fines.

February 6, 2004 Palm Beach, FL: The Palm Beach Post proclaims that McCarthy’s Wildlife Center may have to close due to lack of support.

February 4, 2004 Omaha NE: Serval is found wandering in a neighborhood.  Owners try to convince law enforcement that it is a legal hybrid.

February 4, 2004 Shenyang, China: (Xinhuanet) A wild Siberian tiger has been found dead in Manchu Autonomous County of Xinbin, Fushun City of northeast China’s Liaoning Province.  Died from near starvation and then caught by poachers.

February 1, 2004 Fort Wayne, IN: A 150-pound mountain lion that had escaped Saturday night from its owner’s car following a minor traffic accident was shot and killed by police after it became agitated and tried to jump on an officer. Judge orders man to give up cats, but mortgage holder forecloses and man skips town with cats.  Judge Stanley Levine ordered Dutcher to pay about $7,400 in attorneys’ fees incurred by the Still Water Place Community Association.

February 1, 2004 Otter Tail County, MN: Authorities are trying to determine what killed several large exotic cats and a camel found dead. The owner of an exotic animal farm says the four tigers and one camel found dead on his property Tuesday weren’t neglected.

January 31, 2004 Fort Wayne, IN: A 4-year-old, 140-pound pet cougar escaped from a car during a traffic accident and was shot and killed by police when he lunged at an emergency worker.

January 27, 2004 Zeeland, MI: City Attorney James Donkersloot said it was illegal for Jarnigan to  have the bobcat. “If she didn’t have a license, she was violating the rights of everyone else in the state.  They have  laws for a purpose and people should respect the laws.”

January 25, 2004 Surry County, IN: LOWGAP A 14-year-old Surry County girl was mauled by a tiger kept in a cage behind the family’s trailer and seriously injured less than two months after a tiger killed a 10-year-old boy at his uncle’s home 40 miles away in Wilkes County.  All four tigers were killed on site.

January 22, 2004 Kent County, DE: A family relinquished a bobcat on  Jan. 22, after it reportedly bit another human. Because the cat wasn’t  vaccinated, it had to be euthanized for a rabies check.

Unknown Date.  See 2014 story re: Buckhead, GA lynx attack which mentions a lynx escape documented in 2004, which apparently didn’t make the news.

2003

December 14,2003 Millers Creek, NC: Ruth Bynum’s 400-pound Bengal tiger fatally mauled her 10-year-old nephew after pulling him under a fence and into his cage, authorities said. Cat was kept behind the family’s home in a cage that allowed the family dog to run in and out of the cage. The boy, Clayton James Eller, was shoveling snow Sunday afternoon near the tiger’s cage, an enclosure made of chain link “This little boy got too close, and it pulled him under the fence,” Coroner Howard Laney said. The boy’s uncle, James Marshall Eller, heard Clayton scream and saw the tiger dragging the boy into its cage. Sheriff Dane Mastin said Eller tried in vain to get the tiger off the boy, then ran and got his gun and shot the tiger to death. But it was too late to save the boy. The boy’s mother, Angela Eller, had left the boy in the care of her sister Ruth Bynum, the tiger’s owner, while she went to work, Mastin said. James Eller is the brother of the two women.

December 12, 2003 Marion County, KS: A sheriff killed a second tiger at Chris McDonald’s private menagerie when the animal became aggressive following the killing of his companion.

December 9, 2003 Marion County, KS: A tiger was shot and killed after escaping from Chris McDonald’s private menagerie and killing two dogs and a wolf.

November 11, 2003 Palm Desert, CA: A zoo employee and a zoo visitor at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens were bitten by a cheetah who was being walked on a leash through the park. The zoo visitor was holding a 2-year-old child on her lap when the cheetah attacked her, biting her calf and thigh. The child was treated for a head injury after she fell onto cement.

November 8, 2003 Frisco, TX: A 4-month-old, 50-pound declawed tiger cub was abandoned and captured by police after a motorist spotted the animal roaming on the side of the road.

November 7, 2003 Rockwell, NC: Steve Macaluso, owner of a private menagerie called Charlotte Metro Zoo, was bitten on the neck by a leopard. Zoo volunteers and employees reported that Macaluso needed dozens of stitches.

October 6, 2003 Golden Valley, AZ: An employee at Keepers of the Wild Zoo was bitten and dragged by a 450-pound tiger as she tried to pet him. She was hospitalized for five days with four puncture wounds on her leg.

Oct. 4, 2003 New York, NY: A 400-pound tiger, along with a 5-foot alligator, was found in a New York apartment owned by Antoine Yates. The tiger had attacked her owner. Yates was later arrested at a Philadelphia hospital where he had fled for treatment of a deep bite wound to his right leg. At various times, eight children had lived in the apartment where the tiger was kept. The Siberian-Bengal mix had been kept in the apartment since he was a cub, authorities said. The owner and his 68 year old mother potentially face 7 years in jail for reckless endangerment.

Oct. 3, 2003 Las Vegas, NV: A 600-pound white tiger dragged Roy Horn, 59, half of the famed duo, offstage by the neck after Horn tapped its nose with a microphone for ignoring a command. He was in critical but stable condition Sunday at a Las Vegas hospital. Five months pass before Horn takes his first steps to recovery.

September 20, 2003 Baghad, Iraq: A U.S. soldier shot and killed a tiger at the Baghdad Zoo after the tiger bit off the finger and clawed the arm of another soldier who was feeding him through the bars of the cage.

September 4, 2003 Alexandria, Egypt: A tiger pounced on a circus trainer during an act, causing deep cuts to his face and a broken jaw.

August 21, 2003 Whetstone Township, OH: A chained 180-pound “pet” cougar snapped his collar, escaped, and attacked a neighbor’s dog, causing more than 100 lacerations.

August 14, 2003 St. Louis, MO: A cheetah at the St. Louis Zoo escaped from her enclosure–by going through a 12-foot wide moat and over a 12-foot high wall–and walked among visitors before being recaptured.

August 8, 2003 Dhaka, Bangladesh: A zookeeper fainted when a tiger escaped from his cage at the Bangladesh Zoo. The tiger roamed freely for an hour.

July 29, 2003 Chisinau, Moldova: A tiger at a zoo bit off a 10-year-old girl’s arm when she reached into the tiger’s cage and tried to pet him.

July 18, 2003 Chihuahua, Mexico: A 12-year-old New Mexico boy, vacationing in Mexico, nearly lost his finger when he was bitten by a jaguar at a petting zoo. The child’s finger received 42 stitches.

July 3, 2003 La Crosse, WI: A tiger mauled circus trainer Bruno Blaszak in front of 400 people during his show at a festival. The tiger charged at Blaszak, knocked him down, and clawed him. His right leg required 30 to 40 stitches.

June 2003 Mead, WA: A Korean actor filed a negligence lawsuit against Cat Tales Zoological Park, a roadside zoo and exotic animal training center, after she was mauled by a white tiger during filming of a story about two of the facility’s tigers. She suffered a cut on her forearm.

June 30, 2003 Calhan, CO: Two tigers severely mauled an employee of Big Cats of Serenity Springs as he entered their cage. The employee was knocked down by one tiger and suffered a mangled leg and scalp injuries. As a result, the tigers were beaten with shovels and later killed.

June 23, 2003 Crossett, AR: A firefighter visiting the Crossett Zoo suffered a deep laceration and lost part of his thumb when he was bitten by a tiger.

June 14, 2003 Dodge City, KS: An adult tiger who was being exhibited by G.W. Exotic Animal Foundation swiped at a young boy, tearing his pants. The tiger was being used for photo ops with the public at the Village Square Mall.

May 28, 2003 Nampa, ID: At a roadside zoo called For the Birds, where visitors are allowed to pet tigers, a toddler was jumped on and licked by a 170-pound tiger. Other zoo visitors and employees have been jumped on and bitten by tigers.

April 28, 2003 Russia: Two lions escaped from their cage, which had been left open, and killed a circus trainer. Police shot and killed the lions.

April 23, 2003 Colmenar Viejo, Spain: A tiger with the Italian-owned International Circus bit off the right arm and caused serious injury to the left arm of a man who approached the his cage.

April 23, 2003 Tokyo, Japan: Several lions attacked and killed an animal handler who was patrolling the grounds at a drive-through facility called African Safari Park.

April 22, 2003 Colton, CA: On Earth Day California Department of Fish and Game representatives found the bodies of 30 tigers and other big cats and 58 dead cubs during a raid on Weinhart’s Glen Avon home, evidently used by his nonprofit organization, Tiger Rescue. The Department of Fish and Game also seized 13 tiger and leopard cubs, ranging in age from a few weeks to a few months.

April 6, 2003 San Antonio, TX: A lion from Wild Animal Orphanage escaped and roamed through a northwest area neighborhood for several hours. An employee required hospital treatment for a fractured pelvic bone and bruised rib when the lion charged and knocked her down as she attempted to shoot the animal with a tranquilizer dart. The lion was shot and killed by four police officers armed with handguns and shotguns.

April 2, 2003 Adair, OK: Several tigers belonging to the International Wildlife Center of Texas and boarded at Safari Joe’s Rock Creek Exotic Animal Park attacked and killed a handler. One tiger grabbed her arm and pulled her into the cage as she was giving them water, and other tigers in the cage pounced on her. Another keeper tried to help, but things got only worse. “The first one grabbed her and the rest of them joined in,” says Mayes County Deputy Charles McGuire. “The other girl who was there grabbed a shovel and joined in and beat the tigers to get them away from her and that’s when they removed the deceased’s left arm.” Bracket was brought to Tulsa for treatment, but she died.  These tigers were later reported to be included in James Garretson’s traveling side show called Killer Cat Show which is based in Florida.  The tigers were displayed at fairs and used in photo ops with the public.

March 31, 2003 Hennepin, IL: As he entered their pen to shift them to another enclosure, a man was mauled to death by two tigers he kept in a backyard menagerie. Police shot and killed both tigers in order to retrieve the body. This was the second incident at the Second Nature Exotic Cats Sanctuary (see May 26, 2002/Hennepin, Ill.).

March 23, 2003 Sacramento, CA: A keeper at the Sacramento Zoo was hospitalized and treated for puncture wounds to his neck, right shoulder, and left leg after he was attacked by a 325-pound tiger while he was preparing to feed the animal. Another worker beat the tiger on the head with a shovel to stop the attack.

March 22, 2003 Red Wing, MN: A 5-month-old, 40-pound tiger cub at Grant Oly’s Tiger Zone grabbed and bit a pregnant woman on the wrist, causing a puncture wound, and bit a 16-year-old girl. Police searching Oly’s premises found guns, ammunition, and marijuana.

March 16, 2003 Dehiwela, Sri Lanka: A leopard at the Colombo Zoo reached through the bars of his cage and attacked an infant, causing severe head injuries.

February 3, 2003 Jacksonville, FL: A 450-pound tiger with UniverSoul Circus escaped while the cage was being cleaned. The tiger climbed a car, jumped over a fence, headed down an alley, frightened employees at a nearby restaurant, and was recaptured 10 minutes later.  100s of people witness Chad ‘s escape. ( Associated Press, The Florida Times-Union, WjXT-TV Channel 4 ( IND ) Jacksonville )

January 30, 2003 Benimantell, Spain: A lion bit off a British woman’s arm at the elbow as she attempted to pet the animal while touring a zoo.

January 24, 2003 Albert Lea, MN: A malnourished tiger cub was seized from a home in a residential neighborhood after school officials learned that scratches and bite marks on a fifth-grade boy were caused by his father’s “pet” tiger.

January 17, 2003 Hubei Province, China: Two lions at Wuhan Forest Safari Park mauled a keeper to death as he entered their cage to feed them, then escaped and ran loose for hours before being recaptured.

January 15, 2003 Miami, FL: Exotic cat is found along Florida highway. Cat’s “owner” claims animal was stolen ( WSVN-TV Channel 7 (Fox) )

January 8, 2003 Laurens, SC: A 200-pound “pet” cougar was recaptured in a residential neighborhood after he had escaped from a pen 5 miles away and roamed freely for three days.

2002

December 15, 2002 Leesburg, VA.: Animal control was called to help recapture an 80-pound tiger who escaped from a petting zoo and was on top of a car in a parking lot.

November 29, 2002 Kaohsiung City, China: A tiger from an American circus based in Las Vegas bit off a woman’s hand as she tried to pet him during a parade to advertise circus performances.

November 14, 2002 Detroit, MI: A tiger who had been beaten to death and dumped in a field was found by local residents.

November 4, 2002 Red Wing, MN: A teenager reported to authorities that tigers at Grant Oly’s Tiger Zone had bitten him and two adults.

November 3, 2002 Guatemala: A leopard with the King Gitano Circus attacked and killed a 2-year-old girl after she wandered near the animal’s cage. The leopard reached out, grabbed her with his claws, threw her against the cage, and bit her. She died of a fractured skull.

October 28, 2002 Las Vegas, NV: Neighbors became frightened and alerted animal control when they spotted two tiger cubs running loose on a neighbor’s rooftop. The cubs had escaped from the homeowner’s private menagerie.

October 17, 2002 Southport, FL: A 500-pound African lion pounced on, dragged, and mauled his owner at a roadside zoo called 77 Zoological Park as the owner stepped into the cage to pose for a picture. The lion ripped a hole in his throat, pulled his right eye out of its socket, severed tendons in his neck and chest, tore his skin, and bit through his flesh to the bone. The man spent weeks in the hospital and was in critical condition for 11 days.  He loses 80% of eyesight. He has trained large animals since age 12 when he began training bears in circus in Europe.

October 11, 2002 Jackson, NJ: The 70-year-old husband of “tiger lady” Joan Byron-Marasek was suddenly attacked by a tiger at her controversial preserve as he was feeding the tigers. He suffered head injuries, and his arm was nearly severed.

October 9, 2002 Potsdam, Germany: A tiger escaped from a circus, forcing fearful residents to stay indoors for more than two hours. A park was sealed off and 20 police officers and veterinarians searched for the tiger, using a tranquilizer gun to recapture her.

October 4, 2002 Leona, TX: A man was severely mauled by a 400-pound tiger at the Perrydise Exotic Animal Ranch when he stuck his arm in the feeding opening of the cage to touch the animal, resulting in amputation of his arm just above the elbow.

September 28, 2002 Bloomington, IL: A 400-pound tiger was shot and killed by police after he escaped from a trailer at a truck stop and hid in bushes near a residential area for nine hours. Local police spent $9,000 attempting to recapture the tiger. This same tiger mauled a 7-year-old girl in Hennepin, Ill. (see May 26, 2002).

September 22, 2002 Mayagüez, Puerto Rico: Police officers shot and killed a jaguar after she escaped from her cage at the Mayagüez Zoo. The jaguar, found hiding in a tree, made several attempts to attack the officers before they gunned her down.

September 22, 2002 Quitman, AR: Four African lions, believed to have escaped from a nearby exotic animal farm, were shot and killed after running loose for several days, terrifying residents.

September 20, 2002 Scotts Valley, CA: A declawed 150-pound tiger, who was being walked on a leash by Zoo to You at a school assembly with 150 children at the Baymonte Christian School, suddenly lunged at a 6-year-old boy and grabbed the child by the head with her jaws. The boy was wrestled away from the tiger by the principal and airlifted to a medical center where he received 55 stitches for two cuts to his scalp. A psychologist gave counseling to the terrified children who witnessed the attack.

August 23, 2002 El Arish, Egypt: A circus trainer was taken to a hospital for treatment after his lion lashed out as he attempted to play with him. The lion severely wounded his hand.

August 14, 2002 Akron, OH: A 30-pound “pet” serval-hybrid escaped and ran loose for several blocks, worrying neighbors who were concerned for the safety of children playing outdoors.

July 22, 2002 Cozumel, Mexico: A 13-year-old Florida resident vacationing in Mexico was mauled by one of two lions displayed in a cage as an attraction at a restaurant. The girl was petting the lion when the lion bit her arm and refused to let go for five minutes. The girl’s arm was severely torn above the elbow and required more than 300 stitches.

June 9, 2002 South Africa: Three lions mauled a tourist from Texas as she posed for a picture in their enclosure at a game lodge. She suffered injuries to her arm, shoulder, and leg and was hospitalized for 10 days.

May 26, 2002 Hennepin, IL: A 7-year-old girl was bitten by a tiger at a private menagerie as she attempted to pet the animal. The girl required 110 stitches and three months of therapy.

May 22, 2002 Mayagüez, Puerto Rico: A 12-year-old boy was scratched on the hand by a jaguar at the Mayagüez Zoo when he reached inside the jaguar’s cage.

May 15, 2002 Romania: A 3-year-old girl was mauled by a 9-month-old lion tied up outside of a shop. The girl, who had tried to play with the lion, required hospital treatment for cuts to her chest, belly, and buttocks.

May 12, 2002 Tampa, FL: A 350-pound African lion at Busch Gardens ripped off the arm of a zookeeper standing next to the lion’s cage while she was giving a private tour to her family. The attack occurred shortly after the zookeeper had fed the lion pieces of meat during training exercises. ( Tampa Tribune )

April 28, 2002 Pickens County, SC: According to the Post & Courier, a “pet” tiger was quarantined for biting an 8-year-old boy in the leg after the tiger had been given a bath. The tiger is normally kept in a metal cage in the backyard.

March 6, 2002 Vienna, Austria: While visitors watched, three jaguars at the Schoenbrunn zoo attacked and killed an employee as she was preparing their food and injured the zoo’s director when he tried to rescue the zookeeper.

February 15, 2002 Pahrump, NV: Animal exhibitor Karl Mitchell shot and killed one of his tigers after the animal became frightened and escaped his control while being moved to a new residence.

February 3, 2002 Loxahatchee, FL: A woman was hospitalized in critical condition with a skull fracture after she was attacked and bitten by a 750-pound declawed tiger. The woman had been painting in preparation for a photo shoot at Steve Sipek’s private animal compound. ( Associated Press & Palm Beach Post )

January 24, 2002 Gentry, AR: Two animal handlers at Wild Wilderness Drive Thru Safari were attacked while transferring cougars between cages. One handler received multiple bites on an arm and leg, and the other was bitten in the face.

January 16, 2002 Pickering, Canada: A 500-pound tiger used for photo ops with small children and strippers snapped her tether, escaped, and wandered in the streets near Toronto, alarming residents. More than half a dozen police cruisers and a helicopter were dispatched to locate and recapture the tiger.

2001

December 29, 2001 Leona, TX: A 6-year-old boy was taken to the emergency room after being attacked by a tiger at the Perrydise Exotic Animal Ranch. The child sustained severe lacerations to his face and hand when a tiger reached through the cage and clawed him as he was photographing the animal.

December 9, 2001 Davie, FL: A 7-year-old boy was taken to the hospital for stitches after being attacked and bitten “bone-deep” on the neck by a 40-pound declawed African serval at a PepsiCo International picnic.
The child was walking by when the unattended serval leaped on him and knocked him to the ground. Pangaea Productions, now called Animal World which is owned by Corinne Oltz, was hired to bring the serval and other animals to the event to be used for entertainment.

November 2, 2001 Pahrump, NV: A man was severely injured by a tiger while visiting a private residence. The man was bitten on the arm when he was allowed to feed the animals and required more than $160,000 in medical care, including reconstructive surgery. A lawsuit was filed against tiger owner Annette Grabowski and her companion, Paul Mason, for negligence and against Nye County for failure to take action despite a previous biting incident.

October 22, 2001 Lyons, France: A lion belonging to a circus and being used in a film escaped from the film set and was discovered near a children’s home. The lion was shot and killed.

October 21, 2001 Kunming, China: A zookeeper was mauled to death by a tiger as she entered the cage to feed the animal.

October 10, 2001 Lee County, TX: A 3-year-old boy was killed by one of three of a relative’s “pet” tigers as he was about to have his picture taken with the animals. The 250-pound tiger snatched the boy from the arms of an adult, clamped down on his leg, and dragged him around the enclosure, causing head injuries. The tiger was beaten on the head until he released the boy’s foot.

October 6, 2001 Wuhan, China: A lion at a drive-thru animal park attacked and injured two tourists. A mother and son were throwing live hens to the lion from the open window of a bus when the lion grabbed the boy’s arm and dragged him out through the window. The mother was scratched as she tried to rescue her son. As punishment, the lion will spend the rest of his life in a small cage.

October 3, 2001 Pittsburgh, PA: A “pet” African serval escaped for the fourth time in two years (see August 3, 2001).

September 26, 2001 Paris, France: A lion escaped from his cage at Zoo de Vincennes and ripped open a zookeeper’s carotid artery during an attack, killing him.

August 16, 2001 Quitandinha, Brazil: A trapeze artist with the Imperial Circus of Mexico had an arm amputated after he was attacked by a lioness while helping a worker feed her.

August 11, 2001 Sydney, Australia: A lion trainer was “thrown around like a rag doll” by two lions during a performance. The trainer was hospitalized for several days in serious condition with puncture wounds to his chest, back, arms, and buttocks. Emergency workers used fire hoses to push back the lions so that the trainer could be rescued.

August 3, 2001 Pittsburgh, PA: A 42-pound “pet” African serval alarmed the neighborhood after he escaped and ran loose for the third time in two years. The serval was undernourished when he was re-captured a month later.

July 31, 2001 Center Hill, FL: A 500-pound tiger mauled and killed Vincent Lowe who was making cage repairs at a roadside zoo called Savage Kingdom. The man had suffered a fatal bite to his neck and severe injuries to his head, arm, and ribs. The tiger was later shot and killed by zoo workers.

July 27, 2001 Racine, MN: A 2-year-old, 400-pound white Siberian tiger was destroyed for rabies tests after he bit a 7-year-old girl. The tiger had escaped from a cage at a roadside zoo called B.E.A.R.C.A.T. Hollow and attacked the girl, inflicting two puncture wounds that became infected. The tiger was stuffed and mounted.

July 11, 2001 Africa: British film-maker Nigel Marven was mauled by a hand-reared lion while filming a show. The lion clawed his leg and tried to bite his head.

July 11, 2001 Moscow, Russia: A leopard reached through the bars of his cage at the Krasnoyarsk Zoo and mauled a 4-year-old’s neck as she posed next to the animal for a photograph. The girl was hospitalized and required surgery.

June 29, 2001 Valladolid, Spain: A zookeeper was mauled to death by four lions at a zoo when he moved the animals into another part of their cage and accidentally left their cage door ajar.

June 25, 2001 Nashville, TN: The Nashville Zoo was evacuated after officials found a cheetah wandering outside of his pen. The cheetah was shot with a tranquilizer dart and recaptured.

June 13, 2001 Kazan, Russia: A Siberian tiger was shot and killed by police after he escaped from a zoo and attacked a keeper. More than 700 officers and a helicopter searched for the escaped tiger for more than four hours.

May 23, 2001 Michoacán, Mexico: Two lions belonging to the Hermanos Rodriguez Ayala circus escaped from their cages during a severe rainstorm. The lions caused panic among local residents before police and circus
workers recaptured the animals.

May 2001 Douglass (Berks) Township, PA: An escaped “pet” African serval was struck and killed by a car after roaming free for a week.

April 2001 Omaha, NE: Animal handler Bryan Franzen required stitches after he was clawed by a tiger during a performance at the Tangier Shrine Circus.

April 29, 2001 Oskaloosa, KS: A Jefferson County sheriff’s lieutenant shot and killed an escaped tiger as the tiger crouched in an attack position. The 600-pound tiger ran loose for an hour after fleeing while being unloaded at a traveling zoo called, “Gatekeepers Wildlife Sanctuary.” The animal had twice tried to attack a veterinarian when he was shot with a tranquilizer dart.

April 27, 2001 Oakwood, OH: The sheriff’s office warned residents to keep their children and companion animals indoors after receiving a report that an escaped lion had been sighted.

April 16, 2001 Cascante, Spain: Three lions and a tiger escaped from a circus, killing or injuring several other animals at the circus. Police cordoned off the area and warned residents to stay indoors. Two of the lions were recaptured, and police shot and killed the tiger and the third lion the next day.

April 12, 2001 Brasov, Romania: A lion being used for photo shoots with tourists attacked an 8-year-old boy and escaped. The lion was recaptured by police, and the boy was hospitalized with bite wounds to his shoulder.

April 7, 2001 Van Buren County, AR: Three tigers escaped from their cages while being moved by court order from a Faulkner County subdivision, where they had been kept in violation of a local ordinance. The tigers were found three hours later, and one died after being tranquilized. After the escape, the sheriff of Van Buren County stated that he did not want the tigers in his county either.

March 27, 2001 Morgan County, MO: An African lion at Ozark Nature Center escaped from his cage while animals were being loaded for transport. Terrified residents spent the next four days escorting children and keeping companion animals indoors while dozens of police officers and conservation agents searched for the animal. The lion was found napping near a road and recaptured.

March 25, 2001 Las Vegas, NV: A tiger with Safari Wildlife attacked and killed his handler. The tiger put his paw on the man’s back, pushed him down, and bit his throat. The handler died within minutes from loss of blood. The tiger was used for photo ops with the public and had also appeared in numerous motion pictures and advertisements. He was being groomed for a promotional advertisement when the attack occurred. Another handler was hospitalized with injuries to his knees and puncture wounds.

March 22, 2001 Toronto, Canada: A 400-pound tiger with Garden Bros. Circus bit off a circus worker’s fingertip while being given water.

March 20, 2001 Olmsted Falls, OH: A worker spreading gravel in a tiger enclosure at Burnette Farm was mauled and critically injured by a 500-pound tiger. The worker underwent surgery for bite wounds to his neck.

March 16, 2001 Witts Springs, AR: A tiger escaped from a backyard menagerie by gnawing her way through the heavy steel enclosure. The tiger was loose for three days, terrorizing residents and biting a dog, who was subsequently treated for three large fang marks on each side of his neck. The tiger continued to elude capture after she was shot in the shoulder by an area resident. She was tranquilized and recaptured after she was located in a thickly wooded area by a police helicopter.

March 10, 2001 Kamarkundu, India: Just minutes after the show started, a tiger suddenly mauled a worker at the Olympic Circus while the animal was being forced to jump through a fireball. The circus worker received
15 stitches on his head, neck, and jaws.

February 5, 2001 Keal Cotes, England: An animal trainer suffered bite wounds to his leg and shoulder when he was mauled by a 550-pound tiger during a training exercise.

January 26, 2001 Las Vegas, NV: A “pet” cougar escaped from her pen and hopped aboard a school bus. No children were on board at the time. The driver fled from the bus, and animal control workers captured
the animal.

2000

December 29, 2000 Frankfurt, Germany: A tiger escaped from a circus and caused a 12-mile traffic jam on Germany’s busiest motorway that lasted longer than two hours while he eluded capture by 50 police, firefighters, animal experts, and circus personnel. A helicopter with heat-seeking equipment located the tiger at night, and he was finally captured after being sedated with six shots from an anesthetic dart gun.

December 20, 2000 Omaha, NE: A 6-month-old mountain lion cub pounced on the landlord of a rental home that he was checking on after the tenant was arrested for armed robbery.

December 15, 2000 Calcutta, India: A 30-year-old man, believed to be drunk, was killed by a tiger in front of horrified spectators at the Alipur Zoo when he jumped over a fence into the tiger enclosure. The tiger swiped at
the man once with his paw.

December 15, 2000 West Bengal, India: A tiger trainer was mauled to death by three tigers during an act that required nine tigers to jump over her and then pass through a ring.

November 5, 2000 Amberg, Germany: A 5-year-old girl was critically wounded when a tiger/lion mix broke through his cage, knocked down a fence, and grabbed her at a circus.

November?, 2000:  AK:  Al, an 11 year old tiger at the Alaska Zoo, had a brief taste of freedom. In the fall of 2000, the zoo reported that vandals broke into several cages at the zoo with bolt-cutters and released 10 animals, including Al.  This didn’t make the press until 2007 however.

October 21, 2000 Gambier, OH: A 10-year-old boy was knocked to the ground and bitten on the leg by a tiger at the Siberian Tiger Foundation owned by Diana McCourt while participating in a “close encounter” at the facility. This was the tenth incident in seven months of people being bitten or otherwise injured by tigers at the facility.

September 21, 2000 Vandalur, India: A zookeeper died after being mauled by a panther at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park. The panther pounced on the keeper and grasped her by the neck while she was cleaning the
cage. This was the third keeper to be killed by an animal at the zoo.

September 12, 2000 Brisbane, Australia: Two tiger handlers received stitches after they were attacked and bitten by a tiger prior to shooting a scene for the U.S. television series Beastmaster.

September 10, 2000 Albuquerque, NM: A tiger cub bit a man during a photo op at the New Mexico State Fair.

August 26, 2000 Sioux Falls, SD: A 14-year-old boy was hospitalized after being mauled by a tiger on his father’s farm. The teenager was hospitalized for more than a month with bite wounds to the leg, neck, and shoulder.

August 16, 2000 Sapulpa, OK: One of two 11-month-old tigers broke loose and frightened nearby children while they were being moved between cages at Safari Joe’s.

August 12, 2000 Boise, ID: Jan Gold was mauled by a tiger at a fundraiser for Zoo Boise after the cat escaped from an unlocked cage. She was hospitalized in serious condition with a broken leg, puncture wounds, and a gunshot wound that she received when police fired their guns to scare the tiger away.   Jan later said, “He crawled over me, and bit into my head,” she said. “I thought I wasn’t going to survive. The sound was terrible, I thought he was crushing my skull. He bit through the scalp and just dragged his teeth across my skull, the back of my head was sliced open and my neck.”  Gold suffered nerve damage from both the tiger bite and gunshot wound but she says she’s lucky to be alive and is moving forward with her life.

August 7, 2000 São Paulo, Brazil: Police firing machine guns and shotguns killed six lions from a circus after they had escaped from their cage and prowled through the town.

July 12, 2000 Chippewa Falls, WI: An employee at the Irvine Park Zoo in Wisconsin was bitten by a cougar after she tried to pet him. She was hospitalized for three days.

June 28, 2000 Rensselaer, NY: A 4-year-old boy underwent plastic surgery for a bite to the neck and two puncture wounds to the face when he was attacked by a 40-pound African serval being taken for a walk. The man walking the cat received several stitches for bite wounds to the hand.

June 12, 2000 Ahmadabad, India: A leopard escaped from a zoo and attacked two construction workers, one seriously, and a cyclist before being recaptured two hours later.

June 7, 2000 Bloomington, IL: A man was treated for a 3-inch cut and puncture wounds to his hand, inflicted by a snow leopard after he tried to pet the animal at the Miller Park Zoo. A similar incident occurred at the same zoo in September 1995 when a man suffered a 3 inch gash to his hand when he attempted to pet a leopard.

May 31, 2000 Guyana, South America: A jaguar attacked and killed his handler at the Georgetown Zoo and escaped from his cage. Police later found the jaguar in a nearby shrub and shot him to death.

May 21, 2000 Kiowa, CO: A tiger ripped off the arm of a volunteer at a zoo in Colorado.  The Denver woman had been a volunteer at Praire Wind Animal Refuge for six years. She was asked whether the refuge’s operators ever had problems with people sticking their hands in the cages. “She stuck her hand in, and one of the bengal tigers came up to her and licked her hand,” Shaw said. “She scratched its nose.” Then the 2-year-old, fully grown tiger grabbed onto the woman’s hand, holding it tightly at first but not breaking the skin. Within moments, it moved further up the woman’s arm, biting, and finally ripped off the limb at the shoulder. The woman’s arm was not found, Shaw said.

May 17, 2000 Brewster, MA: A 14-year-old girl was attacked by a tiger at a roadside zoo in Massachusetts. The girl, a part-time employee at the zoo, was feeding the cat when he bit her leg and shook her before releasing her.

April 10, 2000 São Paulo, Brazil: Five lions used in a circus devoured a 6-year-old boy after one dragged him away from his father and into the cage inside a tent full of spectators. Police wounded two people with bullet fragments as they sprayed the top of the cage with machine-gun fire to scare the lions off the boy’s body. Four lions were killed.

April 2000 Jacksonville, FL: Deborah Warrick of the St. Augustine Wild Reserve in NE Florida, was mauled by the same cougar at the Catty Shack Ranch who mauled a man the month before when she tried to clean his cage. She sued LoGiudice and the ranch in Circuit Court even though she had raised the cougar in California. LoGiudice was keeping it for her as she moved to St. Augustine. “He stood up on his hind legs, ran at me, pushed me into the fence,” Warrick said in a phone interview. “It took six people to get him off me, and I’m lucky I had people there to help.”

March 28, 2000 Bohuslän, Sweden: A zookeeper suffered gashes on her head, arms, and shoulders and was rushed to the hospital after being mauled by a snow leopard at Nordern’s Ark. The big cat had torn a pound of
flesh from her body.

March 15, 2000 Channelview, TX: A 3-year-old boy had his arm bitten off by his uncle’s “pet” tiger.

March 14, 2000 Warsaw, Poland: An escaped tiger traveling with a circus attacked a veterinarian before being gunned down by police after a two-hour chase through the streets of Warsaw. The veterinarian was also killed by a bullet meant for the tiger.

March 2000 Jacksonville, FL: A trainer from California entered an enclosure at the Catty Shack Ranch to cover the chain-link bottom of the cage with sand. A 230-pound Western cougar “presented himself for petting,” and the man scratched its head. The cat grasped the man’s arm in its mouth. When he tried to pull it out, the cougar stood on its hind legs and pushed him to the ground and attacked. The man suffered 23 puncture wounds to both arms.

April 2000 Jacksonville, FL: Deborah Warrick of the St. Augustine Wild Reserve in NE Florida, was mauled by the same cougar at the Catty Shack Ranch who mauled a man the month before when she tried to clean his cage. She sued LoGiudice and the ranch in Circuit Court even though she had raised the cougar in California. Curt LoGiudice was keeping it for her as she moved to St. Augustine. “He stood up on his hind legs, ran at me, pushed me into the fence,” Warrick said in a phone interview. “It took six people to get him off me, and I’m lucky I had people there to help.”

February 2000 Jacksonville, FL: An elderly neighbor of Curt LoGiudice’s Catty Shack was gardening in her yard next to his fence. A tiger cub wandered over to her and jumped to bite at the woman’s hat, but got her arm instead. She suffered two punctures.

February 24, 2000 Kent, England: A keeper at a zoo in Kent, England was bitten on the eyelid by an ocelot while in the cage feeding the cat.

February 23, 2000 Great Bend, KS: A high school student was bitten on the hand and arm after sticking her arm into a cougar’s cage at the Brit Spaugh Zoo.

February 3, 2000 Tokyo, Japan: An employee of a company that rented out animals was killed by a tiger at the firm’s breeding compound in Tokyo. The company rented animals to television stations for use
in their programs.

January 22, 2000 Rome, Italy: A man who kept wild animals as “pets” was found dead. He had been eaten by one of his lions.

1999

1999 Jacksonville, FL:  A cougar bit a 19 month old child at the Catty Shack Ranch.

December 4, 1999 Williamsville, MO: A 5-year-old boy required surgery after he was mauled by a “pet” lion kept chained in a neighbor’s yard. The animal inflicted puncture wounds to the boy’s throat and head. The lion was killed.

November 18, 1999 China: Four tigers mauled to death a driver at a safari park after he exited his bus to make a repair. Previous attacks at the 4-year-old park had been reported.

October 30, 1999 Buffalo, NY: A keeper at the Buffalo Zoo was bit and clawed by a leopard.

October 25, 1999 Great Plains, SD: A 4-year-old girl was injured after she was clawed by an African lynx at the Great Plains Zoo. The girl and her parents had wandered into a staff area of the zoo.

October 21, 1999 Evansville, IN: A zookeeper at the Mesker Park Zoo was mauled by a lion who severely injured his leg and arm.

August 3, 1999 Alor Star, Malaysia: A lion with a circus slashed and deeply cut a handler’s hand as he escaped from his cage. The lion was recaptured three hours later.

June 26, 1999 Sterling, KS: A woman with a group of Boy Scouts visiting Safari Zoological Park was attacked by a caged tiger when she put her hand on the cage. She lost her arm and later died.

June 7, 1999 Yorktown, TX: A 9-year-old girl was killed when her stepfather’s “pet” tiger grabbed her by the neck and dragged her into a water trough.

May 4, 1999 Spain: Tigers mauled to death an elderly German couple visiting a game park in Spain. After getting out of their car, three tigers attacked them both, causing fatal neck wounds.

April 10, 1999 Pearland, TX: A tiger handler had to be airlifted to the hospital after being attacked by a tiger at a defunct roadside zoo. The tiger was killed.

March 31, 1999 Tyler, TX: A woman’s arm was nearly severed by a tiger at a compound. A volunteer at the facility, she reached in to pet the tiger, when he attacked. Doctors were unsure whether they would be able to save her arm.

March 16, 1999 Colorado Springs, CO: A 6-year-old boy was severely injured by a leopard at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo after he climbed over a rope to get a closer look at the animal. Three months earlier, a woman was scratched by a tiger at the zoo after sticking her hand into his cage.

February 28, 1999 Fort Wayne, IN: A tiger mauled an employee of the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo while she was cleaning the cage, causing injuries to her chest, neck and back.

January 21, 1999 Bangkok, Thailand: Four tigers attacked and killed their keeper at a private zoo. The zoo is attached to a restaurant and the animals are used to attract customers.

January 7, 1999 Wichita, KS: A 5-month-old tiger cub bit the throat of a 5-year-old child. The tiger belonged to Safari Zoological Park, a roadside zoo that hauls animals around to schools, festivals, and store promotions. The tiger was killed the next day.

January 1, 1999 Jackson Township, NJ: Police shot and killed a 431 pound tiger who escaped from the Tigers Only Preservation Society, only a few hundred yards from a subdivision.

1998

1998 Harris County, TX: A 4-year-old girl was mauled by a Bridgeport Nature Center tiger during photo ops at a county fair. The girl required stitches and $17,000 in plastic surgery to her leg. The girl’s family filed a lawsuit against Bridgeport.

December 23, 1998 Coral Gables, FL: A five year old girl suffered a nine inch gash to her skull when a handler with the cougar at a child’s birthday party was unable to restrain the cat from attacking.  The cat was killed to be tested by the Center for Disease Control.

December 9, 1998 South Africa: A 2-year-old boy was severely injured when a lion at a zoo reached under the gate of his cage and bit the boy’s hip and dragged him under the gate.

December 7, 1998 Doué-la-Fountaine, France: A 4-year-old boy was fatally mauled, and his father severely injured, by 2 jaguars who had escaped from their cage at the Doué-la-Fountaine Zoo south of Paris, France. Police killed both of the 200-pound female jaguars.

December 7, 1998 Ukraine: A lioness attacked and badly injured a worker at a Ukrainian zoo after she entered her cage thinking it was empty.

November 21, 1998 Chicago, IL: A Ringling Bros. circus employee was seriously mauled by a tiger used in the circus when three tigers escaped from their cage in a Chicago parking lot. The tiger clawed the handler on his neck and side. This was the second attack by tigers used by Ringling in one year. (see 1/7/98).

November 18, 1998 Kaufman, TX: A Texas man was attacked by his “pet” lion and suffered serious injuries. The adult female lion jumped him from behind.

November 15, 1998 Chatham County, NC: A cougar mauled a volunteer with Carnivore Preservation Trust causing numerous bites and deep scratches.

November 13, 1998 Newberry, FL: The same tiger who killed his trainer on 10/8/98 attacked and killed his owner. The tiger was shot dead. The tiger’s other owner, Ron Guay AKA Ron Holiday, now trains students in tiger handling at Amazing Exotics for Yvonne Finser in Umatilla, FL.

November 8, 1998 Cut and Shoot, TX: Two “pet” tigers escaped their backyard cage and attacked a dog and a pig before being shot dead by police after charging pursuers. In 1997, a “pet” cougar kept by the same man escaped and was never re-captured.

October 8, 1998 Newberry, FL: A tiger attacked and killed his trainer, Joy Holiday AKA Joy Guay, at the Holiday’s Cat Dancer facility. The tiger had been used in the operation’s traveling animal show and featured in Shrine circuses. The tiger grabbed the trainer by the throat. The tiger’s other owner, Ron Guay AKA Ron Holiday, now trains students in tiger handling at Amazing Exotics for Yvonne Finser in Umatilla, FL.

September 2, 1998 Citrus Park, FL: Black leopard bites volunteer attempting to pet animal through cage at Wildlife on Easy Street. Wounds to arm required 451 stitches to close.  The volunteer admitted she was breaking the rules and was not allowed to return to the property.

August 29, 1998 Myakka City, FL: A tiger bit the hand of a 14-year-old volunteer with Tiger Claw Productions. The bite stripped flesh and tendons from her hand and required two surgeries to repair.

July 31, 1998 Vallejo, CA: A 300-pound Bengal tiger named Kuma turned on Jaunell Waldo when she posed for a photo op with the tiger at Marine World.  “He bit through my head, damaged my vertebra and my ear canal,” recalls Waldo, “The bottom third of my face was on my chest. They had to sew all of that back.” She says trainers told her they’d done more than 100 sessions with members of the public. For $250, visitors were taken to a backstage area. “But it’s a cat, and when they play, they play to kill. I closed down my chin to protect my neck, and that’s why he got my face” said Juanell.  Trainer Chad Zierenberg forced his way between Waldo and the tiger and was clawed on the back. The trainers were unable to get Kuma to respond to commands until someone rushed in and sprayed a fire extinguisher. In January 1996, Zierenberg was slightly injured when two cougars
that he and another trainer were exercising attacked. In November 1986, another Marine World tiger mauled a San Mateo High School football player during a noisy pep rally at the school. Read about the attack HERE

July 30, 1998 Minot, ND: A 5-year-old boy suffered facial cuts requiring plastic surgery after being attacked by a tiger at a photo booth run by Bridgeport Nature Park at the state fair.

July 13, 1998 Brisbane, Australia: During a show in front of 200 spectators, a tiger attacked his handler, picked him up, and carried him 15 feet.

May 2, 1998 Wylie, TX: A “pet” cougar bit a 4-year-old boy on the leg. The boy required $5,800 in medical care.

May 1, 1998 Witchita, KS: A tiger scratched or bit an adult while the animal was appearing at a store’s promotional event.

April 7, 1998 Charlotte, NC: Two lions at the Charlotte Metro Zoo attacked a keeper, one biting him on the leg while the other took the man’s head in his mouth. The keeper suffered deep puncture wounds to his head and leg. He had to be airlifted to a trauma center.

April 1, 1998 AR: A tiger attacked a worker at a breeding compound, biting him on the neck.

February 10, 1998 Lincolnton, NC: A leopard nearly killed his trainer after attacking her at a Royal Palace Circus performance in North Carolina. The trainer suffered injuries requiring reconstructive surgery and hospitalization for a week.

February 8, 1998 Belfast, Ireland: A tiger escaped from his cage at the Belfast Zoo and attacked a keeper before being shot to death by police. The keeper was treated at a hospital for injuries to both legs and a hand.

January 7, 1998 St. Petersburg, FL: A trainer with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus suffered severe head wounds after a tiger grabbed him by the head and dragged him around the ring. He was hospitalized in critical condition and required extensive surgery. The trainer’s brother shot the tiger five times after the animal had been returned to his cage, killing him.

1997

December 25, 1997 Tampa, FL: The St. Petersburg Times reported that a man who was bitten on the arm by a cougar in 1996 was suing WildLife on Easy Street.  The suit was dropped when the man’s friend, the pet owner of the cougar, was depositioned.  Both were former volunteers, and were suspected in the release of the cougar from WildLife on Easy Street in August of 1996 as he was trying to make a case that the cat he was accusing of the bite was dangerous.  Both volunteers were dismissed from the program and the cougar was recaptured without incident.

November 7, 1997 Shubra al-Khaima, Egypt: Three starving lions belonging to a traveling circus mauled to death a teenage boy who had been hired 10 days earlier to clean cages. The lions had been left in a cage without
food for several days near a bus station in a densely populated neighborhood outside Cairo.

October 22, 1997 Calabasas, CA: The same jaguar who attacked a trainer on 10/16/97 attacked another trainer who suffered bite wounds on his leg and a cut to his hand on a movie set.

October 16, 1997 Calabasas, CA: A trainer on a movie set in California underwent surgery to repair a broken leg after being attacked by a jaguar. She was expected to remain hospitalized in fair condition for several days.

September 1997 Port Perry, Ontario, Canada: A 6-year-old girl was attacked and left permanently scarred by a jaguar at the Northwood Buffalo and Exotic Animal Ranch. The girl put her arm through the wire mesh of
the cage, and the cat grasped her with his paws and mouth. The girl’s family was awarded more than $31,500 in a lawsuit.

August 17, 1997 Marshfield, MA: A 13-year-old girl was rushed to the emergency room after being bitten by a tiger during a photo session in Massachusetts. The girl had to undergo painful rabies treatment. The Marshfield Mass. Animal Control Department reported “several” other bites associated with this photo booth.

August 3, 1997 Tokyo, Japan: A Japanese couple was mauled to death by a tiger at a safari park near Tokyo.

June 7, 1997 Scappoose, OR: A woman suffered deep puncture wounds to the neck and post-traumatic stress disorder when she was attacked by a neighbor’s “pet” leopard.

May 19, 1997 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A 4-year-old boy was killed after a lion who was being taken for a stroll broke loose and mauled him.

May 13, 1997 Strassburg, Germany: During a circus performance a tiger attacked a circus worker and seriously hurt him while he was setting up cages.

May 8, 1997 Lubbock, TX: One of five “pet” tigers mauled his owner. The man was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. The owner’s son killed the tiger.

May 7, 1997 Carrollton, PA: A tiger used in the Franzen Bros. Circus killed a trainer in front of 200 horrified schoolchildren.

May 4, 1997 Knox County, TN: A tiger mauled a student at Joe Robinson’s roadside menagerie.

April 29, 1997 Oklahoma City, OK: A leopard escaped from his cage killed a woman at an exotic animal “sanctuary.” Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed the leopard seven hours later when he was found along a road nearly a half-mile from Oak Hill Center for Rare and Endangered Species.

April 27, 1997 San Antonio, TX: A man lost his finger and his friend was injured when they broke into an exotic animal orphanage and tried to pet a tiger.

April 4, 1997 Dallas, TX: A “pet” bobcat mauled a toddler. The 2-year-old boy lost his right index finger, had his heel chewed off, and suffered a severe bite wound to his right cheek.

March 19, 1997 Orlando, FL: A tiger escaped from a cage and mauled a keeper at exotic cat breeding compound. The keeper suffered a broken thigh, crushed knee and severed arteries and veins in his leg. Authorities later shot and killed the tiger because they feared the animal would jump a perimeter fence and flee the compound.  (This was probably Dave McMillan’s Tiger’s Eye Productions or Robert Baudy’s Savage Kingdom)

March 18, 1997 San Antonio, TX: A tiger escaped from a wildlife animal refuge, killing an ostrich and pawing a sheriff’s deputy before being tranquilized and recaptured.  A 300-pound tiger named Sheryl took a leisurely morning stroll after escaping from the Wild Animal Orphanage, authorities say. The tiger jumped a 10-foot fence to get away. She attacked and killed a duck and an ostrich before wounding a llama. Carol Asvestas said she believes the tiger got out after being provoked by an intruder who broke into the property by scaling a perimeter fence.

March 12, 1997 Caudwell, TX: A 13-year-old boy was attacked by a “pet” tiger and a lion kept in a cage built into the side of his grandfather’s house. The boy’s father said, “My boy was not mauled, he was being eaten alive.”

1997 TX: A lion kept in a cage as a backyard “pet”  bit a visitor’s hand and tried to pull her into the cage. She had four deeply grooved cuts requiring 21 stitches. The owner claimed that in the past, when the lion “got out of control,” squirting him in the eyes with a spray bottle full of vinegar usually “calmed him down.”

1997 Kirbyville, TX: A tiger bit two fingers off the left hand of Monique Woodard, owner of the Exotic Cat Refuge and Wildlife Orphanage. Doctors were able to reattach one of the fingers.

1996

December 21, 1996 Brooklyn Park, MN: Three pet-supply store workers were bitten or scratched by a 7-month-old tiger who had been brought to the store to have his picture taken. The three workers agreed to receive rabies shots.

December 15, 1996 Indonesia: A tourist was mauled to death by a chained tiger at a safari park while posing with the animal for a photograph.

December 6, 1996 Ababa, Ethiopia: A lion pushed open his cage door and killed his keeper at a roadside zoo.

October 9, 1996 Las Vegas, NV: A Las Vegas animal trainer had to undergo surgery on his feet and legs after being mauled by a tiger.

September 16, 1996 Crystal Beach, TX: A declawed “pet” lioness died after she was shot and tranquilized by a deputy. The lioness attacked a man after a burglarhad apparently set her free.

August 28, 1996 London, Ontario: A “pet” cougar mauled 2-year-old outside of London, Ontario.

July 18, 1996 Middletown, NY: A white tiger from Hawthorn Corporation bit the hand of a carnival worker while performing at the Orange County Fair.

May 6, 1996 Midlothian, TX: A 6-year-old girl suffered severe injuries to her head, neck, arms, back, and legs in an attack by a tiger, one of seven big cats on a breeding farm. During the investigation it was found that these same cats had been involved in three previous documented attacks. On this day, Katie Baxter’s mother, Tammi Baxter, decided to visit the tigers owned by a cousin’s friend. “Everybody knew about this place; everybody went out there all the time. ” she says. A ball was in the tigers’ water bowl, and as Baxter and her children watched, one of the animal handlers went into the pen to retrieve it. “He closed all the gates behind him, but somehow when he got to the last one to get the ball out of the water thing, this one tiger went nuts. [The tiger] hit one of the gates, kind of like stood up and hit the door,” Baxter says. “He went through two other gates the same way and was out in the viewing area before we even knew what happened. “I got to Katie, but by the time I got to her, he was already attacking her. It was horrible.” The tiger knocked Baxter and Katie down but “went for Katie,” grabbing her by the neck. Then it started dragging her. “We were trying to beat the tiger, beat it with our hands, but that wasn’t stopping it. So my cousin, he got a metal pipe and knocked it in the head so we could get her away from the tiger,” Baxter says. There were no telephones, so Baxter put Katie and her son into their car and raced toward a nearby hospital. Baxter missed a turn and crashed into a ditch. Katie, who was bleeding from the neck, was taken to one hospital by helicopter ambulance. Baxter and her son were taken to another with injuries from the car wreck. Katie spent more than a month in the hospital and underwent cosmetic surgery.

February 10, 1996 Pahang, Malaysia: An employee of the London Royal Circus suffered serious injuries to her thigh and calf after a lioness attacked her while she was cleaning her cage.

January 5, 1996 Vallejo, CA: One trainer, Chad Zierenberg, at Marine World Africa was seriously hurt and another received minor injuries when they were attacked by two cougars as they prepared to take the cougars for a
walk.

January 3, 1996 Calcutta, India: A tiger killed one man and mauled another at the Calcutta Zoo when they attempted to put a garland around his neck.

1995

December 27, 1995 Quinlan, TX: A 3-year-old toddler was mauled by his family’s “pet” cougar. He had numerous head wounds sutured, reconstructive surgery to reattach one ear and neurosurgery to remove bone fragments from his brain.  His 6-year-old sister was also attacked and received over thirty staples to head wounds, in the emergency room. The declawed cougar, whose teeth had been filed down as a preventative, was shot and killed.  According to the children’s relative the cat was kept in a cage (without the added protection of a second secure cage around it) in front of their house. He had watched these children play, and get the attention he had once received, for several years. The relative asserts that the father believed he had complete control of this cat.

December 13, 1995 Beijing, China: A Chinese circus hand was killed by a tiger with whom he was “quite familiar.” The chained animal sprang at the man and sank his teeth into the man’s throat, causing fatal injuries.

December 1, 1995 Fort Worth, TX: A tiger at the Fort Worth Zoo leaped an 11-foot-wide moat and attacked a zookeeper. The keeper was bitten on the shoulder, arm, and hand and was off work for several weeks.

November 24, 1995 Raleigh, NC: A “pet” Bengal tiger mauled and critically injured a 3-year-old boy while his father was walking the animal on a leash. The tiger was shot and killed.

November 13, 1995 Memphis, TN: Two Sumatran tigers mauled a man who entered their enclosure at the Memphis Zoo.

November 2, 1995 Washington, DC: House Speaker Newt Gingrich was bitten on the chin by a baby cougar he was holding. The bite drew blood, but was not considered a serious injury.

October 29, 1995 Allegan, MI: While her 9-year-old daughter watched in horror, a woman was attacked and killed by a “pet” lion after she entered his cage at the home of a friend who collected exotic animals. The friend was severely injured when he tried to stop the attack.

September 30, 1995 Indianapolis, IN: A lion being used by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus bit off the index finger of a woman who put her hand in his cage kept in a staging area.

September 29, 1995 Piraeus, Greece: An American tourist was bitten and nearly lost her hand when she attempted to pet a tiger with an Italian circus.

September 27, 1995 Lava Hot Springs, ID: Nineteen lions at Ligertown Game Farm were shot and killed after escaping the complex.

September 19, 1995 Haysville, KS: A man shot and killed an African lion he found pacing on his driveway after the lion had escaped from a neighbor’s pen.

September 18, 1995 Wesley, KS: A 2-year-old boy required hospital treatment for a severe bite on his ear from the family’s 4-month-old cougar.

September 1995 Bloomington, IL: A man suffered a 3 inch gash to his hand when he attempted to pet a leopard at the Miller Park Zoo.

August 6, 1995 Phoenix, AZ: A mountain lion at the Phoenix Zoo gashed a 5-year old boy’s arm after he wandered too close to the cage. He required stitches to close the wound and received scratches on the side of his chest.

June 27, 1995 Downers Grove, IL: A 2-year old Chicago girl was mauled by her aunt’s “pet” Asian jungle cat.

June 2, 1995 Queens, NY: A 2-year-old boy was bitten by his neighbor’s pet cougar when he reached through a barred window to pet the animal. The 9-month-old cougar nearly severed one of the boy’s fingers, which was reattached at the hospital.

May 28, 1995 Novi, MI: Seven lions and tigers toppled onto a freeway when the trailer they were in came unhitched. One lion suffered a fractured skull and a tiger bolted across traffic, leading police on a four-hour chase.

March 5, 1995 Washington, DC: A woman was fatally mauled by lions after climbing into their enclosure at the National Zoo. The body was so battered and shredded so violently that her fingerprints were gone and her face unrecognizable.

January 2, 1995 Scottsbluff, NE: A zookeeper at the Riverside Zoo required surgery to repair her windpipe and injuries to her face and chest after she was attacked by a leopard.

1994

December 20, 1994 East London, South Africa: Two tigers at the East London Zoo mauled a man who jumped into their enclosure. A tiger from this same group was the one killed after attacking a cameraman in
Angola (see 3/16/94).

November 13, 1994 London, England: A zookeeper was killed at a private zoo by a tiger while cleaning the cage. The private facility in London had a slew of deaths and maulings of both visitors and keepers.

October 11, 1994 San Diego, CA: San Diego Zoo animal trainer Joan Embery suffered two deep gashes on her face by a cheetah she was exhibiting on a television talk show.

September 5, 1994 Jasper, AL: A tiger escaped from the private menagerie of Earl and Debra Dobbins and was shot and killed by a neighbor. Another tiger on the Dobbins’ property was taken to the Birmingham Zoo.

September 3, 1994 New Delhi, India: A tiger jumped out of the ring during a circus performance and killed a 6 year-old boy in the audience. The boy’s father was also seriously injured.

August 8, 1994 Hyde Park, OH: A 180-pound pet African lion escaped from a home and ran loose in Hyde Park before being recaptured. The animal was later confiscated by authorities, and the owner was cited for possession of a dangerous animal and inducing panic.

July 24, 1994 Hanover, Canada: A 16-year-old boy was bitten on the neck and killed when he entered a cage with two declawed tigers at a roadside zoo.

July 15, 1994 Kuwait, Iraq: A lion killed his circus trainer by locking his jaws around the woman’s neck during a performance.

June 23, 1994 Brisbane, Australia: A 20 month-old boy had one arm bitten off, and the other badly mauled by a tiglon (a lion/tiger cross) at a circus. The boy’s father was an employee of the circus.

June 18, 1994 Columbia, SC: A tiger at an exotic animal farm mauled a 17-year-old worker.

June 7, 1994 Miami, FL: A senior zookeeper with 20 years’ experience was mauled and killed by a tiger at Miami Metrozoo.

April 5, 1994 Jackson, MS: An 80-pound cheetah scaled an 8-foot fence and pounced on an 8-year-old boy at the Jackson Zoo. The boy was scratched and nipped before the cheetah was recaptured.

March 22, 1994 Beech Grove, AR: A 150-pound declawed pet cougar escaped and attacked a 71-year-old year neighbor, inflicting deep bite wounds to the man’s shoulder and arm.

March 16, 1994 Angola: A tiger killed a South African news cameraperson while he was filming the evacuation of starving animals from a zoo in Angola. A witness reported that he “never stood a chance.” The tiger was killed.

January 25, 1994 Moscow, Russia: A lion with Bingo-Bongo Circus escaped from his cage. A policeman shot and killed the animal with a submachine gun.

January 3, 1994 Shanghai, China: After being forced to climb a ladder and jump through a hoop, a tiger in the Chinese circus grabbed his trainer puncturing two big holes in her neck.

January 3, 1994 Namibia, Africa: Lions at the Ekongoro zoo mauled to death a man who broke into the zoo at night.

1993

December 12, 1993 Palm Beach, FL: A worker at the Lion Country Safari was attacked by a lion, causing severe puncture wounds to her head and chest, as well as collapsed lungs.

September 14, 1993 Joplin, MO: A circus employee lost part of her arm after an attack by a tiger on the circus’ animal farm. Doctors had to amputate her arm below the elbow.

August 11, 1993 Georgetown, OH: Two teenage boys suffered facial cuts when a lion attacked one, and the other attempted to intercede. The boys were walking when a “pet” lion escaped from his cage and attacked them unprovoked.

May 6, 1993 Las Vegas, NV: A keeper feeding a trio of lions in the backyard of a Las Vegas residence was hospitalized after one of the cats attacked her. The Circus Vargas employee suffered five gouges to her leg. During an April performance, another employee was bitten by a lion.

May 6, 1993 Bronx, NY: A man with a history of mental instability was mauled by two lions at the Bronx Zoo after he climbed into their cage.

April 17, 1993 Little Rock, AR: A tiger performing with the Shrine Circus at the Barton Coliseum escaped, ran into the audience, and bit a 13-year-old girl. The tiger was owned and trained by Jordan Circus.

February 21, 1993 Norfolk, VA: Graham Chipperfield, a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus big cat trainer, was mauled by a lion while breaking up a fight between two other lions.

February 3, 1993 Wichita, KS: A keeper was hospitalized in serious condition with wounds to his face and neck after being mauled by a Bengal tiger at Tanganyika Wildlife Company. The tiger lunged through the open door of a cage and attacked when the keeper bent down to pick up something. A second keeper attempted to beat the tiger away with a shovel and then shot and killed the tiger.

1992

November 30, 1992 Pahrump, NV: A man was severely bitten by a tiger owned by animal trainer Alex Pasternak. The tiger had to be shot before he would release his grip.

September 27, 1992 Reno, NV: A Reno illusionist suffered “bone-deep” puncture wounds to his leg and arm by a tiger being used in a performance.

September 19, 1992 Tokyo, Japan: A lion escaped from a Bolshoi Circus cage in Tokyo and roamed loose for five hours before being gunned down with high-powered rifles.

July 26, 1992 Curitiba, Brazil: A tiger who escaped from a and terrorized residents was shot 20 times and killed by police.

June 10, 1992 St. Mary, Australia: A tiger bit a Robinson Circus worker after escaping from his cage and was shot and killed as he approached a busy shopping center.

May 21, 1992 Muhlenberg Township, PA: Two tigers with Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus escaped from an unlocked cage during a performance. One tiger roamed around the center ring, frightening 2,000 spectators before he was recaptured.

April 7, 1992 Iron Hill, DE: One of two cougars used by a private breeder jumped 12 feet and attacked a visitor, biting her on the head, neck, and upper back. The breeder said he would sell the two animals and replace them with cubs in order to continue his breeding and dealing operation.

April 5, 1992 Portland, OR: A “pet” lion/tiger hybrid attacked an 11-year-old girl who had to undergo surgery to repair extensive muscle damage in her arm. The animal would not let go and had to be shot and killed.

1991

December 1, 1991 France: A tiger attacked a trainer during a performance of the Parade Circus. The trainer was treated for lacerations to his legs that required a one-month hospitalization. The same trainer’s father was similarly attacked by a cougar during a “wild animal” show twelve years previous to his son’s attack.

October 9, 1991 Manchester, NH: A model was hospitalized for five days and received 50 stitches and rabies shots after being attacked by a lion during a photo session in New Hampshire. A court awarded her a judgment of $75,000 on March 24, 1995.   The tiger owner uses a lot of aliases including Kevin Bhagavan, Kevin Antle, Mahamayavi Bhagavan Antle, Ghagavan Antle, Doc Antle and Dr. Kevin Antle, but he is neither a doctor nor a PhD.

May 31, 1991 Mexico City, Mexico: A lion performing with Sur Americano circus leaped into the bleachers and pounced on a 7-year-old boy, biting his head and killing him. The lion was shot in the head and killed during the attack.

September 29, 1991 Jackson County, KS: A caged lion bit a man on the hand causing puncture wounds that required stitches after the man attempted to pet the lion at a Christmas tree farm.

September 17, 1991 Tucson, AZ: A lion cub bit the arm of a 3-year-old girl at the Reid Park Zoo.

August 17, 1991 Fresno, CA: A lion with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus bit a man who tried to pet the caged lion.

June 1, 1991 Anderson County, SC: A pet lion escaped from a backyard chain-link fenced enclosure and attacked a 5-year-old girl and her grandmother. The girl required stitches. The lion’s owner later shot and killed the lion.

May 13, 1991 Belgium: In front of horrified onlookers, an animal trainer for the Kessler Bros. Circus was slowly suffocated to death by a lion who put the trainer’s entire head in her mouth. The lion was shot and killed, but the trainer had already perished.

April 18, 1991 Wilkesboro, NC: A 3-year-old girl was attacked by a leopard traveling with the Great American Circus.

March 8, 1991 Grimsby, Britain: Four lions escaped during a Chipperfield circus performance and ran into a crowd of 100 parents with their children in Grimsby. One man was attacked and treated at a hospital.

February 23, 1991 Melbourne, Australia: A drunken man was severely mauled after freeing four lions from their circus cage.

January 18, 1991 Toulouse, France: A tiger attacked and seriously injured a 3-year-old girl at a circus performance. The 400-lb. tiger leaped into the audience, slashed the child across her face and managed to get her head in his jaws before being dragged off.

1990

December 19, 1990 Italy: A 65-year-old woman was mauled to death at an amusement park when a leopard she was feeding seized her by the neck and dragged her into the cage. The animal, part of an exhibit in a small town in Italy, was tear-gassed, shot, and killed.

November 5, 1990 Phoenix, AZ: A woman visiting a Phoenix resort was attacked by a tiger while his trainer was walking him on a leash. Witnesses reported that the tiger acted like a “pussycat” only moments before the attack. The woman was hospitalized with severe puncture wounds.

October 27, 1990 Candelaria, Colombia: A tiger escaped from his circus handler during a parade and killed a 1-year-old child.

August 9, 1990 Sturgis, SD: A 5-year-old girl was mauled by a leopard who was restrained by a small chain on a box in Engessor’s Endangered Species traveling act. The girl’s mother sued for $100,000 in damages.

June 23, 1990 San Pedro, Argentina: One man was killed and three people were seriously injured when they were mauled by two lions who escaped from a traveling circus. The lions were shot and killed by police.

June 18, 1990 Sidney, MT: A leopard in a petting zoo bit a 7-year-old boy. The owner of the leopard said he had no intention of stopping his shows.

May 1, 1990 San Francisco, CA: A zoo keeper was mauled by a leopard in front of school children at a San Francisco zoo. The keeper underwent surgery for deep wounds to his head, shoulders, and arm.

The following are not included in the summary at the top of the page, but illustrate how far back human ignorance of the wild nature of big cats has gone.  For more than a century no one tracked the number of people mauled or exotic cats killed, until 1990. In 1965 the craze to emulate the ocelot owning, Anne Fracis in the detective show Honey West, resulted in a pet trade where ocelots were so common that anyone could find one at a local pet store, but these cats were killed and turned loose when they matured for their propensity for biting their owners and devouring the family pets.

Year Unknown and not included in totals at top of page: Del Donahoo “…was bit by a 270-pound neutered male lion, Fester, who was taken around the country by his trainer to demonstrate how to become a trainer. Fester came to Midway Mall and Donahoo was picked to meet with him. The lion bit Donahoo in his back and then had Donahoo’s head in his mouth. ‘I went to the hospital and Fester went to Florida to retire,’ Donahoo said. A photographer got a picture of the incident and sold it internationally.”

1986 Jan 31 New Zealand:  A lioness on the loose in the Village Green at the Lakefront and armed police on top of buildings. Four lions escaped from their cage just after a performance of the Whirling Brothers Circus on January 31. One was quickly recaptured, but three others kept police and circus staff on their toes for at least two hours. The circus owner said the lions had escaped after “street kids” had thrown a poodle into the lion cage which caused them to fight among themselves.The poodle was stolen from a Rotorua property and was killed by the lions. Roads leading to the Lakefront reserve were closed for two hours, staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital were told to stay inside and bowlers in the Government Gardens were cleared from greens. Police at the time were highly critical of a large number of onlookers, including parents with children, who hampered efforts to recapture them.

1982 Bridgeport, CT: Dwight Bernheimer bought a cougar named Dash (aka Tina)  from a dealer in Florida and took her to his home near Beardsley Park where he would walk her around town on a leash to show off his prize.  Big cats had been banned as pets since 1967 but Bernheimer claimed to have had her prior to the ban and was allowed to keep her.  That would have made her 15 at the time of the mauling that sent a young man to the Bridgeport Hospital.

1976 Zanesville, OH:  Monado, a Bengal tiger, served as the on-site mascot for the Muskingum Area Technical College for five years. He made his debut in 1971, and he died in June 1976 after he escaped from his pen and was killed by an overdose of tranquilizer.   “We felt bad when the tranquilizer killed him,” said then-president Walker Huffman. “He was so beautiful and playful. We basically brought him up, fed him with a bottle — he was like a baby.  In 2011 Zanesville became known to animal lovers as the Zanesville Massacre when 56 wild animals were released by their owner and all but 6 were shot to death by authorities.

1972 Hollywood, CA: JODIE FOSTER has had a life-long fear of cats since she was almost mauled to death by a lion when she was eight years old. The actress was a child star on the set of 1972 movie Napoleon And Samantha, when a big cat co-star lashed out at her. Foster remembers, “I was walking ahead of him. He was on an invisible leash, some piano wire. He got sick of me being slow, picked my up and held me sideways and shook me like a doll. “I was in shock and thought it was an earthquake. I turned around and saw the entire crew running off in the other direction. Foster firmly believes the animal spared her life – but she admits the incident in 1972 has left her wary of all kinds of felines.

1966 New York, NY: Model Nell Theobald poses with a lion in the New York Coliseum while promoting the 1966 International Automobile Show. Moments after this photo was made, the lion bit into her leg, refusing to release her until the handlers beat the animal and forced him to let go.

1959 California: A circus wagon overturns freeing two lions. One is killed and the other is never found.

1937 London, England: The Rev Harold Davidson, Rector of Stiffkey, had a self-proclaimed mission among London’s prettier prostitutes which got him unfrocked eventually. After which he began exhibiting himself in a barrel, and later in Skegness in a (14ft x 8ft) cage with a lion called Freddy while denouncing the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Norwich and the hierarchy of the Church of England. One day in 1937 the normally docile
Freddy had enough and mauled Davidson to death.

1928 September, El Monte, CA: In September 1928, while the Charles and Muriel Gay were traveling in Europe with the circus, a trainer failed to close a runway while lions Nigger, Ike and Short-Tail were being moved between cages. Nigger made a dash for freedom, and slashed the arm of farm manager John Rounan at the moment Rounan fired a shot at the animal; the wound required 100 stitches, and Rounan later died. Trainer Joe Hoffman took off after Nigger and killed him with a bullet in the brain. Short-Tail walked into an open cage, and Hoffman was able to lock him in. But Ike got shot in the leg and ran around the farm in a rage, menacing a cow, a cage full of baby lions and arriving police officers. Ike finally died in a hail of bullets from many guns.  Gay’s Lion Farm was home to all three of the famous MGM lions and began an era of terror and misery for lions in America.  When the farm collapsed in 1942 the 200 lions were dispersed to zoos.  (It is apparent from the name of one lion above that these people disrespected people as much as the cats)

1927 Sept. 16, San Diego, CA: Aviation was in its infancy and all eyes were agog over Charles Lindbergh’s trans-Atlantic flight just a few months earlier.  MGM studio execs decided to cash in on the craze and cooked up a publicity stunt to fly their storied mascot, Leo, non-stop from  California to New York. Martin Jensen, and Leo made a forced crash landing in Arizona.  “I crawled out and looked to see what had happened to Leo,” Jensen said in a 1927 newspaper article. “The cage had held tight, and he wasn’t scratched, although he did look disgusted, and I figured his opinion of me as a flier is pretty low.” Six days after the crash, Jensen led the search party on horseback starting from a ranch near the Mogollon Rim back to find Leo, still caged and still alive.  Read about Leo the MGM mascot lion.

1919 Sept. 21, Los Angeles, CA: Lillian Harmon, 17, wanted to pose for a picture with Leo, a usually tame African lion who had appeared in many films. But when she stepped into his enclosure at E&R Jungles near Eastlake Park, Leo attacked. “Miss Harmon had her hand on the animal’s head. It is one of the performances for which Leo was trained,” The Times reported, citing H.J. Harmon, Lillian’s brother. “For just one second, the lion stood motionless and then without the least warning struck the girl with his paw, knocking her to the ground,” the newspaper said. “In the next instant he was clawing her.”

Several men rushed to her aid and hit the lion with an iron bar. But “before a bar could be found, Leo had the girl in his jaw,” The Times said. “At the  Receiving Hospital, it was found that the girl was badly torn on the back, arms and thighs where the claws and the teeth of the animal found their marks.” This was the beginning of a 100 year history of captive exotic cats being misunderstood, abused and killed for man’s entertainment in the U.S.

Fred Boyajian Lynx Attacks Woman

Dec 3, 2014: Buckhead, GA: A Siberian Lynx attacked his caregiver while his owner, Fred Boyajian, was out of town. The person was reportedly bitten on the head at the 3000 block of Paces Ferry Road NW. Police say the woman was bitten on her head and had cuts on her arms and back. She was treated at the hospital. David Laws, the primary caregiver for the cats tried to downplay the event, but the 911 call was pretty terrifying. The owner has 9 cats, including 4 Siberian Lynxes, one Canada lynx, and 3 other cats of comparable size. Channel 2’s Carl Willis went to the neighborhood, where neighbors said it isn’t the first incident involving the large cats. Neighbors are nervous as it’s still not clear how the animal was able to attack a person hired to feed them. They say it doesn’t help matters that one of the large cats has gotten loose in the neighborhood before. Aerial footage from NewsChopper2 showed a large cat pacing in its cage at a home in Buckhead. It was moments after police say a Siberian Lynx bit someone. Police found the victim bleeding heavily from her head. DNR says the owner is permitted to breed the animals on the property. In 2004, another lynx, belonging to the same owner, got loose. A 50-pound lynx was spotted near a home on Beechwood Hills Court. “Because I don’t think any of us really know how they’re being contained and if one of them was to get out and bite someone in my family or anyone else, it’d be pretty terrifying,” a neighbor said.

 
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