sad story about lions and tigers in Ohio

[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.