Posted on 10/19/2011 5:19:33 PM PDT by mdittmar
Zanesville, Ohio, sheriff's deputies armed with assault rifles opened fire on dozens of "mature, very big, aggressive" lions, tigers, cheetahs, wolves, and bears who had escaped from a private menagerie in Ohio after the farm's owner, Terry Thompson, was found dead and the animals' cage doors were left open and fences unsecured. Chimpanzees and orangutans were found locked in cages inside the house. At least 30 animals have been killed, and several more remain at large.
Thompson had a long history of brushes with the law and had just completed a one-year sentence on two federal counts of possessing illegal firearms. In November 2005, Thompson was convicted of, among other things, cruelty to animals and was subsequently sentenced to six months of house arrest and fined $2,870. PETA had filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding Thompson's illegal activities, including exhibiting animals without a license and declawing tiger cubs in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.
Ohio has no regulations governing the ownership of exotic and dangerous animals. Exotic animals all over the state languish without adequate food, water, and veterinary care. They eat rotten scraps, drink algae-laden water, and spend their days pacing on feces- and urine-encrusted dirt. Just last April, Ohio Gov. John Kasich refused to extend an emergency ban on exotic animals in the state, which was put in place by his predecessor. PETA has campaigned for an outright ban for many years.
Please join PETA in asking the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to exercise its authority to declare emergency regulations to prohibit the keeping of exotic animals and also seize the animals over whom the agency has jurisdiction and see that they are placed in reputable sanctuaries.
Of course. This is like what the Romans did in the arena.
I read where their were 8 or 10 Bengal tigers and they're not kitty cats. There were mountain lions and it sounded like African lions and leopards. Definitely not what you'd want your neighbor to have in his back yard even if you lived a half mile away.
I saw a piece earlier that he not only had unlocked the cages but previously had cut the perimeter fencing so they'd be sure to get out of the compound. Sounds like the guy wanted to cause as much grief as he could.
I can't say I agree with PETA on most anything but I'll concede they're right that these animals should not have been kept in captivity in these conditions. As far as their spiel about Kasich I'd have to know more before I'd side with them.
He had apparently been involved in long-standing disputes with his neighbors who were afraid his animals would get out.
Most have lived here since kids on farms with real livestock.
The media is making it out like "Animal Kingdom" gone really wild.
Actually, it was all cleaned up from dawn to dusk by the Sheriff and locals. Jack Hannah(is a local) gave able assistance and a well-trained crew from the Columbus Zoo crew to help.
Yeah, Police said they don’t carry tranquilizer darts and even when someone showed up with them they couldn’t be sure they were going to put them down.
If Jack Hanna says they needed killin, I tend to agree because I know he loves the critters.
OCCUPY....the community...
If I had been his neighbor, I would have worried as well. I can’t imagine living that close to someone with wild animals. I guess the neighbor were right.
Where is PETA when you need them...referencing the Santa Rosa Island slaughter scheduled for extermination of wildlife by December 31, 2011. Even if a bill was presented by Congress to halt this, heard directly that Obama’s administration will not stop it. NRA is the only association trying to prevent this from happening. Too many nuts (of the humane kind) running loose on this planet who need to be exterminated/just my humble opinion.
This bothers me,put into google news,Terry Thompson,was found dead
Then,Chimpanzees and orangutans were found locked in cages inside the house.?
Carl Drega
I thought the same thing tho I recall when an elephant went wild and killed it’s trainer, the cops killed it with their 9mm pistols.
Probably shot it a lot tho.
Chimpanzees and orangutans were found locked in cages inside the house.
LIES. The Sheriffs were called to the scene and before they even got through the gate the Animals LIONS were heading towards them. They only had their HANDGUNS.
They tried to save one tiger by using tranquilizer darts and it just pissed him off.
Does PETA think lying helps their cause.(such as it is)
This is in rural, southeast Ohio (I grew up just south of Zanesville). People like their hunting and their guns there. I would bet some private firearms were brought out by the local law enforcement with more ooomph than the 5.56 M4 carbines or 12 gauge shotguns in their cruisers.
Thanks for posting an article from the PETA website. </sarc>
I think I remember that and yeah, it was shot A LOT.
Sheriff Lutz stated that the Deputies were dispatching animals initially with their handguns. Most departments around here issue Glock or M&P .40's.
Last Friday 3 friends of mine driving south on 222 from Allentown through Lancaster county saw a dead mountain lion alongside the highway. These were well traveled, educated ladies. As we were all embarking together on a trip to the mountains of Garrett County Md, I was more concerned about the bears.
12 gauge shotguns with slugs have lots of ooomph at close range. That's what some officials use for grizzly control.
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