Man on the mend after tiger attack
By Kent Miller
The victim of Friday’s tiger attack at a private facility between Terrell and Kaufman is recovering at Methodist Medical Center at Dallas after being flown there by air ambulance after the attack.
Don Roberts was mauled Friday by a Bengal tiger that had escaped its cage when an electric fence failed at Zoo Dynamics located on River Oaks Drive of off State Highway 34. Roberts said he was attacked while attempting to warn a Zoo Dynamics employee that the exotic cat was loose.
“The tiger jumped me as I ran to a nearby cage where the employee was working,” Roberts said in a prepared statement. “I’ve worked there before and know that being cautious and following safety guidelines are important. I’m very aware of their [large exotic cats] awesome power and have a healthy respect for the dangers they pose. Accidents sometimes happen.”
Roberts continues to recover at Methodist Medical Center but hopes to go home soon.
“The healing process may take a little time but I’m comforted to know my actions stopped the attack and may have helped others escape injury,” the statement read. “I look forward to returning home and getting back to my normal routine.”
The tiger, which was housed with other exotic cats at the facility, apparently jumped a failed electric fence and attacked Roberts on the grounds between the caged tiger habitat and a perimeter fence on the outside edge of the property, according to a Kaufman County Sheriff’s report.
Sheriff’s department spokes-woman Sharlie Davis said the facility also houses panthers, leopards and other exotic animals.
She said the facility, to her knowledge, has never had one of the cats escape.
The tiger was being held in quarantine at the facility for observation.
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