sad story about lions and tigers in Ohio

[cassiesmom]

I heard on the news that a man who had 20 lions and tigers on his property in Ohio released them from their cages and then took his own life. People were told to stay indoors while the lions and tigers were loose. They couldn't be successfully tranquilized and they all ended up being put down. Apparently the law there isn't specific about ownership of animals which is how he was able to have them all. How sad. I'm putting this in the Dog House because I don't think a lion or tiger should be someone's pet. I love tigers and this makes me very sad. RIP tigers and lions. I hope there is a place for them in God's heaven!

[Karen]

It was all different kinds of animals, including monkeys and bears, giraffes, mountain lions, camels ... it is just tragic for everyone concerned. Only one monkey is still unaccounted for. Many of the animals, tragically, were put down. One tiger was seen chasing a neighbor's horses, for example. There was one Bengal tiger that they tried to just tranquilize, but the tranq didn't work, and just made it more aggressive, and they had to shoot it. These are simple law enforcement people trying to do the best they can for the safety of the community. If the man had just called someone, sent an email or even just dialed 911 and left the phone off the hook, and left the animals in their cages, all this could have been avoided. Tragedy all around.

Here's a better account of the story:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/19/us/ohi...html?hpt=hp_t1

[lizbud]

You're right Karen, If only the owner would have called someone,
anyone, before he took his own life. Maybe he could have been talked
into leaving the animals in their cages so someome else could care for
them.

I firmly believe these animals should be banned from sale to any one
individual, in any state. The pictures of these beautiful animals laying
dead makes me sick.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/zanesville-...ry?id=14767017

[Marigold2]

This is all so very painful. People are horrid. These precious creatures are being shot on sight because of this A$$ and his problems. My heart cries for these animals.

[Freedom]

Saw this on the news as well, just awful.

There were 18 Bengal tigers had to be shot, they are an endangered species with just 2500 left in the wild. Many of the animals were on the endangered list.

Since they were released after dark, officials felt they had to shot them. Those still loose by daylight, they switched over to tranqs, so a few were saved; small number.

So so sad.

[smokey the elder]

All the animals were accounted for, and six were able to be saved. Jack Hanna explained why the tranqs weren't used in many cases: it was dark; and they actually require a lot of skill. It would have been more dangerous for the cops.

[phesina]

This whole thing is just so tragic and sad. So needless. Whatever problems that guy had, he didn't need to take it out on the animals. Maybe he thought he was getting back at the humans around him by setting the dangerous animals loose on them, but he knew damn well what the outcome would be.

[Medusa]

Ohio has such lax laws when it comes to private ownership of exotic animals. I've heard that Jack Hanna is meeting w/Gov. Kasich to enact and enforce such laws. This man had been a problem for quite some time but calls to authorities were ignored. Giraffes were seen grazing on the side of the road, for Pete's sake! One of my FB friends said it best, that we can own a tiger but a pit bull is banned. Outrageous! Just an hour or so from me is Holmes Co. and it has exotic animal auctions quite often. They've decided since yesterday's tragedy that they will no longer auction big cats. Swell. It's ok to sell bears and giraffes and monkey, though.

[lvpets2002]

Yes the whole ordeal just horrified & saddened me.. However what was done had to be done.. Yes if the ASS@@#$#%^* would have just called someone first or he could have just left the babies in their cages && none of this would have happened.. RIP To All Of The Babies

[AvaJoy]

I was horrified and immensely saddened upon hearing about the slaughter of these innocent creatures. Too bad the man didn't have the decency and compassion to make arrangements for them to go to a sanctuary before killing himself. By letting them loose, he sent them to their deaths. One report said he loved his animals. Obviously by his actions HE DID NOT. May the animals rest in peace, and may he writhe in the torments of hell.

Every state in this country should outlaw and ban private citizens from keeping exotic wild animals. PERIOD. This should be a Federal mandate, not leaving it up to each state to decide how lenient or severe a law to enact. Ideally, it should be a worldwide law, but I realize that ever becoming a reality is downright pure fantasy. While the government is at it, abolish circuses, roadside displays, etc. where wild animals are used to "entertain" people. Despicable human folly.

[Medusa]

There is another place only 30 minutes from me that has waaaay more exotic animals than this guy had. One of the local towns has a tiger as their football team's mascot and every year they parade a little cub before the game starts. W/Gov. Kasich making it a law against such ownership, we're hoping that they won't do it this year. We're waiting to see what is done about the other animals. If they would get loose, it's a much tighter community. Aside from the animals being destroyed, the loss of human life could be great.

[Cataholic]

No question that this is a terrible, terrible tragedy, and that the animals paid with their lives for something they had no control over. I think what is lost here, though, is that the human that took his life, and subjecting these innocent animals to the loss of theirs, was, obviously, not in his right frame of mind. His love of the animals wasn't probably 'registering', any more than that ingrained self preservation 'instinct'.

It is a tragic situation, all the way around.

[Medusa]

No question that this is a terrible, terrible tragedy, and that the animals paid with their lives for something they had no control over. I think what is lost here, though, is that the human that took his life, and subjecting these innocent animals to the loss of theirs, was, obviously, not in his right frame of mind. His love of the animals wasn't probably 'registering', any more than that ingrained self preservation 'instinct'.

It is a tragic situation, all the way around.

I agree to a point. I have friends who live in his neck of the woods and I told her that some of us were considering going to the next auction and silently protesting, carrying signs but no shouting, etc. She told me that she could almost guarantee that I would be arrested and harassed continually afterwards b/c this man and the others who house exotics have law enforcement in their pockets, which is why they're never shut down. I always say "People first" but in this instance I have no sympathy for him. He had just recently served jail time for some of his offenses. Why he committed suicide, I do not know nor do I care. Many of the animals were malnourished so I can't see where he had any love of animals. His motives were of pure profit as are the others who sell exotics. Why else would someone sell camels, for instance, is this Ohio climate? Why were his giraffes seen along the side of the road? He didn't even see to it that his animals were properly contained.

[Cataholic]

@Mary, and I don't really disagree with you. I probably think more along the lines of "pets/animals first", frankly. But, I have to believe that anyone that takes their own life isn't thinking 'right'. How long? I don't know. I feel the same way about animal hoarders. I really do believe most of them are doing what they think is best, or thought was best, at some time, and at some point life overwhelmed them.

But, regardless, I do feel horribly for the animals that died, and the humans that were involved.