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Dozens of Exotic Animals Shot
14 years ago
http://www.dispatch.com/content/sto.....um-County.html
Please read article above for more info.
I've been following this upsetting story since early last night, reportedly over 48 dangerous exotic animals including lions, snow leopards, cheetas, tigers, wolves, grizzly and black bears have been let loose in the night after the owner was found dead. Police speculate that he released the animals then killed himself.
About 30 -35 of these animals were shot and killed by police in the night. Despite that an african wildlife sanctuary was litterally up the road and despite efforts from Jack Hanna and the Columbus Zoo to capture the terrified animals alive, they are being shot on sight. The police say that some of the exotics have been captured alive though these were the animals (mainly chimps and monkeys) still encaged in the home itself as well as a couple that remained in the open cages overnight..
From last nights press confrence it would seem that as police were coming up the 40 acre property main drive way with assult rifles, they opened fire on the first 25 animals wandering confused on the property itself. In what I feel is bad taste, news crews have released photos of a dead, bloodied male lion and black bear curled up dead, left in the rain.
I understand that the main concern of the police is to eliminate any threat to the general public. The schools are closed down today as an added precaution. I understand that human life is valued over the animals..what I cannot understand is why it is so easy in the state of Ohio to own these exotic animals. This is just one person, one man housing several dozen large predators among other exotic animals. I pray that people will learn from this tragedy and that stricter laws can be passed preventing the general population from owning these endangered animals.
Please DO NOT buy exotic animals. I don't care how much your pet tiger or wolf 'loves and understands' you. They are WILD animals whether you raise them from infancy or not. I love animals but would never be naive and selfish enough to presume I could turn an endanged predator into a pet, let alone DOZENS.
Because of human neglegence, these rare and precious animals are being destroyed
Please read article above for more info.
I've been following this upsetting story since early last night, reportedly over 48 dangerous exotic animals including lions, snow leopards, cheetas, tigers, wolves, grizzly and black bears have been let loose in the night after the owner was found dead. Police speculate that he released the animals then killed himself.
About 30 -35 of these animals were shot and killed by police in the night. Despite that an african wildlife sanctuary was litterally up the road and despite efforts from Jack Hanna and the Columbus Zoo to capture the terrified animals alive, they are being shot on sight. The police say that some of the exotics have been captured alive though these were the animals (mainly chimps and monkeys) still encaged in the home itself as well as a couple that remained in the open cages overnight..
From last nights press confrence it would seem that as police were coming up the 40 acre property main drive way with assult rifles, they opened fire on the first 25 animals wandering confused on the property itself. In what I feel is bad taste, news crews have released photos of a dead, bloodied male lion and black bear curled up dead, left in the rain.
I understand that the main concern of the police is to eliminate any threat to the general public. The schools are closed down today as an added precaution. I understand that human life is valued over the animals..what I cannot understand is why it is so easy in the state of Ohio to own these exotic animals. This is just one person, one man housing several dozen large predators among other exotic animals. I pray that people will learn from this tragedy and that stricter laws can be passed preventing the general population from owning these endangered animals.
Please DO NOT buy exotic animals. I don't care how much your pet tiger or wolf 'loves and understands' you. They are WILD animals whether you raise them from infancy or not. I love animals but would never be naive and selfish enough to presume I could turn an endanged predator into a pet, let alone DOZENS.
Because of human neglegence, these rare and precious animals are being destroyed
Koinu-kun
~koinu-kun
There was a law here that made having exotic pets permissible only under strict permit regulations. But the current administration repealed that law for no reason what so ever. They certainly now have the resources to capture these animals. But, alas I feel that the "shoot them dead" mentality is just ingrained in the minds of the people of that area. Most of the eastern Ohio area is very rural and "back woodsy". I feel this tragedy is a combination of one man being an idiot and the rest wanting something more entertaining to shoot then just deer.
WhiteWing121
~whitewing121
OP
What hit me hard was that the police shot the animals as they were coming up the drive way and were not aware of the full situation. I can only imagine how terrified the animals were loose, in the middle of a storm with gunfire on top of that. Though I really can understand that the police really did have to do what they had to. Captive raised exotics are more dangerous than their wild counterparts. they can't hunt, but can kill and they would. Its just abominable that we allow ownership where these animals can be put in such a situation. this guy had been a problwm for years, the sheriff said so himself. its just a horrible thing all around.
SonicHomeboy
~sonichomeboy
Raising a wild animal is a huge risk and quite dangerous. It would be cool to own, but one can only dream. They always have and always will be wild regardless.
WhiteWing121
~whitewing121
OP
Very true, they just confirmed 48 of the 56 animals are dead including almost 20 lions and 18 tigers among them..one wolf is still unaccounted for. Its just so upsetting :/
