• Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us
Big Cat Rescue
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
Big Cat Rescue
No Result
View All Result
Home Articles by BCR

Zanesville Owner Releases Wild Animals Commits Suicide

BCR by BCR
January 19, 2012
in Articles by BCR
0 0
18
Zanesville Massacre 18 tigers 17 lions 3 cougars gunned down

Zanesville Massacre 18 tigers 17 lions 3 cougars gunned down

0
SHARES
2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

The Zanesville Massacre Could Happen in Tampa

 

…or Just About Anywhere else in Florida for That Matter.

 

 

Zanesville Massacre 18 tigers 17 lions 3 cougars gunned down
Zanesville Massacre 18 tigers 17 lions 3 cougars gunned down

At 5:30 a.m. on October 19, 2011, the phones at Big Cat Rescue began ringing with the news that Terry Thompson, a private owner and collector of exotic animals in Ohio, had released 56 of his lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, wolves and bears before committing suicide the night before.

 

As the watching world soon learned that day, Thompson had purposely cut the doors off his animals’ cages so they could not be returned to them. And because the perimeter fence around his property was a mere four- foot high cattle fence, and it was getting dark, the authorities who arrived on the scene were forced to shoot and kill all but six of the dangerous wild animals.

 

This senseless tragedy unfolded in Zanesville, Ohio, but it could just as easily have been in Tampa or any other city in Florida.

 

The reason is because there is a patchwork of laws across our country and a dire lack of funds to enforce them.  All too often it takes a tragedy like the Zanesville massacre before the public finds out that crazy people and government agencies are playing Russian roulette with their lives.

 

Most people were shocked to learn that Thompson, a convicted criminal, could have a back yard full of the world’s most dangerous predators with no government oversight. Ohio had no state laws restricting such behavior. And Thompson did not have the USDA license he was required to possess in order to exhibit his exotic animals. Despite often being in the local news for exhibiting his animals at schools, he was never forced to comply.

 

USDA only requires that cages be big enough for an animal to stand up and turn around; there are no set standards for cage space, fence heights or cage construction materials. Depending on the inspector, a USDA licensed facility may be asked to have an eight-foot high perimeter fence. But an exotic animal facility in Dade City, Fla. that offers public swimming with tigers has a fence that is only three strands of wire; and not hot wire at that!  Despite multiple citations, the facility has not yet been fined and continues to operate under the auspices of being “inspected and approved.”

 

The Florida Wildlife Commission boasts the most stringent wild animal possession laws, yet Florida leads the country with the most killings, maulings and escapes by dangerous wild animals. Having better standards than Ohio hasn’t done anything to minimize the danger to Floridians and the environment.  Most people who don’t follow animal issues are aware that the Everglades are over run with giant non-indigenous snakes that are swallowing alligators and deer whole. These snakes, which quickly grow to 13 feet and over 100 pounds, have been found to have Florida panthers, bobcats and many species of endangered native wildlife in their bellies when captured.  What most people probably don’t know is that the FWC is continuing to renew the permits of those who are not in compliance with their regulations and state laws.

 

In June 2007, Florida Governor Crist signed into law SB2766, a bill to regulate the possession of reptiles, but more importantly, included the requirement for a $10,000 bond to be posted by anyone exhibiting a Class I animal, which currently includes lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars and cougars.  The FWC thwarted that legislative mandate by changing their regulations to allow people to call their private collections “sanctuaries” and forego the bond requirement. Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin contacted every member of the Florida House and Senate in 2009 to let them know how their law had been circumvented and they almost unanimously agreed to close the loophole by amending the wording to say that all who “possess” (rather than “exhibit” as the 2007 law read) Class I animals must post the bond.

 

 

Perhaps the scariest comparison between the situation in Ohio and the situation here in Florida is that no matter what the law was that allowed private possession of dangerous wild animals, it was the actions of a mentally unstable person who set his animals loose on his unsuspecting neighbors. When you consider that it is usually this type of person who collects dangerous lions, tigers, bears, pythons and such in their back yard, the obvious conclusion is that the only way to prevent such disasters is to ban the private possession of wild animals.

 

Previous Post

Today at Big Cat Rescue Dec 6

Next Post

Tour de Clay benefits Big Cat Rescue

Next Post

Tour de Clay benefits Big Cat Rescue

Leave a Reply

  • Default Comments (18)
  • Facebook Comments

Comments 18

  1. Pingback: Suicide cats | Usadirectworld
  2. Pingback: URL
  3. Pingback: juegos gratis
  4. Pingback: Webdesign Internetseite
  5. Pingback: Posterdruck
  6. Pingback: Buy Herbal Incense
  7. Pingback: keliones
  8. Pingback: Discount Golf Balls
  9. Katie Tollner says:
    9 years ago

    Crazeh!!

    Reply
  10. Katie Tollner says:
    9 years ago

    Crazeh!!

    Reply
  11. Pingback: maillot de foot pas cher
  12. Pingback: Baju bayi
  13. Pingback: rabaty
  14. Pingback: Big Cats are Not Pets - Advocacy for Animals
  15. Giorgi Sakhvadze says:
    8 years ago

    And the authorities never heard about bloody tranquilizers or what?

    Reply
  16. Lorii Hernandez says:
    8 years ago

    those animales did nothing that man should not have them there and laws shold be logicals no one can have wild animals no one

    Reply
  17. Christopher Stone says:
    8 years ago

    Sad

    Reply
  18. Pingback: Caterpillar Zanesville Ohio | AnimalsExplore

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Help Feed Big Cats

One of the best ways to help is through general donations that can be used however it is most needed at the time.To make a general donation just click the Donate Now button below.  This is the best way to give as it has the lowest credit card processing fees and is immediate help for the cats.

Give to Big Cat Rescue

If you prefer to donate via Pay Pal, please use this link: Pay Pal

Recent Articles

  • You called? Where are my snacks? Summer bobcat BigCatRescue August 12, 2022
  • Caturday swimmers! Priya and Dutchess tigers at Big Cat Rescue August 12, 2022
  • So many rolls. Aria tiger at Big Cat Rescue August 12, 2022

Recent Comments

  • Deb Quimby on Tiger Haven Sued for 10 Million by Neighbors
  • Sarah C. on Pallas Cat Facts
  • Donna Keller on Orpheus
  • Donna Keller on Orpheus
  • Jeri Meyer on Tiger Haven Sued for 10 Million by Neighbors

Save Big Cats

Donate to Big Cat Rescue

Sanctuary Cats

  • Jaguars
  • Leopards
  • Lions
  • Tigers
  • Bobcats
  • Canada Lynx
  • Cougars
  • Ocelots
  • Savannah Cats
  • Servals

More from Big Cats

  • Big Cat Rescue is Live 24/7 on Webcams
  • Rescue Missions
  • About Big Cat Rescue
  • Big Cat Rescue News
  • Reviews
  • Our Recent Work
  • Sanctuary FAQs
  • Big Cat TV
You called? Where are my snacks? Summer bobcat BigCatRescue

You called? Where are my snacks? Summer bobcat BigCatRescue

August 12, 2022
Caturday swimmers! Priya and Dutchess tigers at Big Cat Rescue

Caturday swimmers! Priya and Dutchess tigers at Big Cat Rescue

August 12, 2022
So many rolls. Aria tiger at Big Cat Rescue

So many rolls. Aria tiger at Big Cat Rescue

August 12, 2022
  • Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us

© Copyright 2022 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • 2018 Appeal
  • About BCR
  • About our Cookies
  • Account
  • BCR in the Media
  • Big Cat NFTS
  • Big Cat Rescue Caring for Cats and Ending the Trade
  • Big Cat Rescuers
  • Big Cat Times
  • Blog
  • Board of Directors
  • Browse Submissions
  • Connections
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Credentials
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Donate Crypto
  • Embed Link
  • Followers
  • Following
  • GET THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT CUB PETTING
  • Global Big Cat News
  • Intern Program
  • Join Us
    • Registration
  • Kids
  • Latest from Big Cat Rescue
  • Licensing
  • Login
  • Login
  • Logout
  • Logout
  • Malaya Bobcat
  • Map
  • Map of Big Cat Owners
  • Member Directory
  • Members
  • My Profile
    • Edit Profile
  • Netflix
  • News about Big Cats
  • News Gallery
  • News@BCR
  • Our Live Feeds
  • Password Reset
  • PressRoom
  • Privacy Policy
  • Register
  • Register
  • Register
    • Edit Your Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Welcome
    • Your Membership
  • Rescues
  • Search result
  • Series Archive – Default header
  • Shop
  • SnowLeopard
  • Social Stream
  • Staff
  • Submission Confirmed
  • Teachers
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Terms of Use
  • User
  • USFWS
  • Vets
  • Videos archive
  • Get Involved
    • Automatic
    • Sponsorships
    • Volunteer
      • AdvoCats
      • Click to Feed
      • Intern
    • Legacy
    • Roar! Speak Out for Big Cats
    • Ink
  • Finances
  • How We Started
  • Abuse Issues
    • Issues
      • Exhibitions
      • Private Ownership of Big Cats
      • Zoos
      • White Tigers
      • Circus
      • Fur
      • Trophy Hunting
      • Canned Hunting
      • Why Regulations Don’t Work
  • Our Evolution
  • Photos & Facts
  • Videos
  • Our Volunteers
  • Your Privacy
  • Donate
  • Site Map
  • Field Trips

© Copyright 2022 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist