Fla. man cited after lion, tiger escape facility

Fla. man cited after lion, tiger escape facility

Associated Press – September 10, 2008 1:44 PM ET

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has cited the owner of a wildlife sanctuary whose tiger and lion escaped last month.

The agency’s investigators say the animals’ cage gate hinges weren’t secure, allowing them to push it open.

Mark McCarthy, director of McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary in Palm Beach County, says he didn’t find any problems with the hinges. He also says the citation is unfair because the animals never got past a secondary fence he built that wasn’t required by law.

The animals got out of their shared cage on Aug. 20. The lion was quickly found and returned, but the tiger was out about 12 hours. It was tranquilized and returned to its cage.

http://www.wflxfox29.com/Global/story.asp?S=8985413&nav=menu98_2

http://bigcatrescue.org