Tiger attacks kindergartner at Scotts Valley school

Sacramento Bee ^ | 9/20/02 | NA

[dsutah]

Good point. It's one thing to bring a little baby cub in. It's quite a different thing in bringing in an adult 'cub', although young. As I mentioned before, they are wild, savage animals that belong in a safe environment for them, and for people. Of course, we can't all see them in their native environment, but the next best place is in an environment that resembles their natural home as much as possible, where they can be observed safely.

It would have been so much better if they had gotten group discount rates, and taken the kids on a field trip to the zoo, or something, where they could enjoy the big cat in his environment, and stay safe themselves. Or see if it's possible to see a circus, where they might be able to watch the tamer work with the animals in a safe setting.

[Carry_Okie]

A trainer that raises them and gains their trust is one thing, but allowing untrained and unfamiliar people mingle close and touch them is risky and not responsible.

There is even a name for the process of exposing an animal to many people to make them more tolerant of humans in general. Curiously, it's the same term used for the process of integrating children into the government schools:

Socialization.

It's just a coincidence, of course.

[Carry_Okie]

LEV 26:22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.

[Doe Eyes]

You are probably the kind of idiot that uses a twelve gauge on a rabbit.

I’m sensing some hostility here.

[Carry_Okie]

My, how subtle.

Are you an exverminator by profession? If so, we've got a booming opportunity for you here in Santa Cruz!

[nickcarraway]

Hmmm, can you see it from the highway? They should have a ``Beware of Tiger'' sign. Is that new place at the Summit any good?

[Carry_Okie]

Yes.
No.
Yes.

[Jimmy Valentine]

I trust that you are referring to the environmentalists and ethicists here?

Tigers belong in the wild where tigers live.......India and Asia for the most part. They are mostly nocturnal, solitary, and unless sick or too old to catch their normal prey, uninterested in eating people. Decidedly, they do not belong in a school room.

Regards,

[EggsAckley]

Hehehehe.....careful there, Carry. I almost resemble your remark, except for the lesbian part. LOL!

[SCalGal]

My wife's recollection of the radio story is that the handler was a she and therefore clearly undersized for the job. Another question would be whether there was a proper harness or means of quick correction.

I don't think it matter whether the handler was a man or a woman. Tigers are strong . They take off, the handler is going to be drug along behind them like a kite.

[SCalGal]

If the tiger wanted to commit major harm to the child when he had the kid's head in its mouth, there would be much more damage than a few stitches could handle.

Patterson pulled him out first.

Supposing this is the first time the tiger's done this, there's a good chance he didn't know to crush his prey immediately. If he had bitten down hard, no one would have been able to break his grip, even as quickly as Patterson moved. Tigers don't survive in the wild because they are slow and can't crush their prey. Had it intended to seriously injure the child, or more likely, had it known how to, the child would not have been sitting up and smiling yesterday.

As it is, the kid has the distinction of being the only kid in the school who survived a tiger attack.

[OKSooner]

There was a guy here in a suburb of "one of the largest cities in Oklahoma" who was keeping wild animals in the city limits, including tigers and constrictor snakes. He was actually trying to make a commercial venture out of this, called "Safari Sam's" or some such nonsense. Some of the neighbors had the good sense to have the property re-zoned, so he moved out to the country. Next thing you know, driving out the turnpike there was a big ol' billboard with "Safari Sam" or whatever his name was, hugging a young TIGER like it was a baby. The caption said "Come play with the tigers!"

The thing that was really frightening about it was the maniacal look on ol' "Safari Sam's" face. Young dude with long hair like a burned-out rocker. And a maniacal face, the kind where his eyes had whites all the way around the pupils.

I think he went out of business, at least I hope he did so he could go get a real job working construction somewhere.