Tiger Claws Volunteer at Horseshoe Creek
Published: Saturday, February 9, 2008
Tiger Claws Volunteer at Davenport Sanctuary
Injuries aren’t serious, county agency says.
By Shoshana Walter
DAVENPORT | It’s not what he needed.
That’s what Darryl Atkinson said as he spoke of the latest incident at his Horseshoe Creek Wildlife Foundation in Davenport. About noon today, a volunteer was clawed by a tiger while cleaning out its cage, said Gary Morse of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
The injuries were not serious, according to Polk County Fire and EMS, and Atkinson said the volunteer, Brenda Chapman of Kissimmee, would be “just fine.”
The commission’s investigation is ongoing, Morse said.
“We don’t know what caused it. Whether it was playing or it was actually going after her leg,” he said.
Atkinson said the tiger, named Kheira, was playing. Chapman, a trained volunteer, got swiped when she stepped too close, he said.
The incident comes on the heels of Atkinson’s Feb. 1 arrest on charges of grand theft and signing a forged instrument. The commission said it found Atkinson accepting money from people on court-ordered probation in exchange for signing off on community service work they did not do. Atkinson stepped down Feb. 2 as president of Horseshoe Creek, which he founded.
He said he expects the commission to send him a citation for Saturday’s incident, review Kheira’s medical history and put her in quarantine.
Morse said a citation is possible.
“That’s just not what I need with all this other stuff,” Atkinson said.
Although the foundation has long been plagued by funding problems, he said he intends to keep the sanctuary open. Atkinson said he has too many animals to care for and is working on relocating some of them. He said he has already relocated at least five big cats in two years.
For the cats,
Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457
http://www.BigCatRescue.org MakeADifference@BigCatRescue.org
Sign our petition here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/344896451?ltl=1140270431
This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be
confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby
notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of
the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The
recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of
viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused
by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.
