49 Wild Exotic Animals Killed in Ohio Tragedy
Published October 21, 2011
Starting October 18, 49 exotic wild animals kept in the Muskingum County Animal Farm (a so-called “wild-life preserve" in Zanesville, Ohio) were forced to be killed after preserve owner Terry Thompson freed them and then committed suicide.
Among the animals killed in Ohio by sheriff’s deputies were 17 lions, 18 rare Bengal tigers, six black bears, two grizzlies, a wolf, a baboon and three mountain lions. Officials said the dead animals were being buried on Thompson's farm.
"It's like Noah's Ark wrecking right here in Zanesville, Ohio," commented TV personality and former Columbus Zoo Director Jack Hanna in a Daily Mail article.
Why Thompson decided to do what he did is still a mystery.
Recently, he was jailed for a year on weapons charges, and, according to pet-abuse.com,had a long history of animal cruelty. In 2005, he was arrested on charges of cruelty for the torture of bison and cattle on his property, and had been warned over 30 times this year alone (and repeatedly over the past 10 years) to gain better control of the animals on his preserve.
The tragedy, it seems, could have been prevented. Days before he left office, former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland issued an emergency order prohibiting people convicted of crimes of animal cruelty from owning exotic animals. Thompson would have been prohibited from owning exotic animals if the emergency order had been upheld, but it expired in April 2011.
The emergency order was not renewed by the incoming Governor John Kasich on the grounds that the order was difficult to enforce, and that it would (in some way) have a negative impact upon small businesses.
This writer feels strongly that if the incoming governor had the foresight and good sense to renew Governor Strickland’s order, perhaps these magnificent exotic animals on Thompson's preserve would have been duly removed, preventing this horrendous tragedy.
"Every month brings a new, bizarre, almost surreal incident involving privately held, dangerous wild animals," commented Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. "Owners of large, exotic animals are a menace to society, and it's time for the delaying on the rulemaking to end."
Criticizing Governor Kasich for allowing the order to expire, HSUS called for an immediate rule to crack down on ownership of exotic animals until Ohio reaches a permanent solution.
Concerned about Ohio's lack of regulations concerning exotic animal ownership, Liz Dumier, a student at Ohio University and a Change.org member started a petition on their website asking Governor Kasich to issue an executive order immediately banning exotic animals in his state. Tell the governor to take action at once by signing the petition.
Of all the animals on Thompson's farm, only six were captured safely. Those animals (two monkeys, three leopards and a grizzly bear) were safely transported to the Columbus Zoo.
I feel strongly that our magnificent and precious exotic animals must be protected with strict controls and regulations. We must do everything possible to prevent another Zanesville, Ohio massacre.
What is your opinion about unregulated/unlicensed private ownership of exotic animals? Share them in a comment.
Shortly after retiring as a social worker and psychotherapist, I discovered my "writer's voice"…
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Comments (38)
I dont think they should of killed the animals they could of tranquilizarsed thenm and took them somewhere else. Its not there fault that that guy let them out. They had no right to kill them and 49 exotic thats crazy. I do not like the police of Zanesville Ohio.
I think that before the public at large makes any rash desicions about what happened in Zanesville, they should, instead of going by what the press presents, they should do theirown investigations.
I wasen't involved in the tragedy, but I knew Terry and I was actually, more than once, in the enclosures of these supposedly "wild, untamed"critters. I have hand fed those wildcats raw meat andI still have both hands, I have brushed those killer wolves, I've played with the bears, though not for long because they had an odor, but those wild, killer beasts were as tame as a housecat.
There is more to the story than what you're getting from the press.
Terry, a personal freind of mine took excellant care of those animals.
Before you go making judgements about what happened, find out the truth.
IT'S SO GOOD TO HEAR THE TRUTH;NOT WHAT THE PRESS WANTS US TO BELIEVE !
What a terrible sad and unnecessary happening.Those poor innocent rare animals killed. Surely the powers that be should have come up with some other thing to protect them. And to my mind they should be brought to justice
The killing of all 49 of these animals is outrageous and totally unnecessary. Many of them could have been captured and saved, but a rash decision was made to destroy them. Professional who use tranquilizer guns know the exact amount of sedation to use to put these big cats out, without harming them. The story that too much would kill them and too little might anger them is about 98% total B.S. Professionals use tranquilizers to sedate large animals all the time and they know the exact dosage. I think the Muskingum County Sheriff's office just wanted to go on Safari in Zanesville, OH. Also, I saw the look on Jack Hanna's face when he was answering questions and talking to the press and it certainly wasn't a look of "Oh yeah, this had to be done". He may have said it, but he didn't convince me that he meant it. Besides, he was consulted after the killings occurred. What was he supposed to say?
Killing those animals was NOT necessary. It was a hotshot snap decision. Alternatives would have worked if they wanted to try them but they didn't. It was murder in the name of public safety when I never heard even one story of those animals going after humans. Bottom line they didn't want to save them they wanted to have a "legal" safari!
Killing these animals, while sad, was the only choice they had. It was dark in a large wooded area. Tranquilizers take time to act and the dosage has to be right, too little and the animal becomes even more dangerous, too much and it can kill it.
How are you going to capture a 300 pound tiger at night under those conditions? Jump on its back and wrestle it? Give it some cat food and pet it? It was NOT murder to kill these animals it was a matter of public safety.
By shooting these animals they prevented a much greater tragedy, lion comes around corner of the house as grandma gets out of the car, tiger wanders onto a school playground, leopard hiding in shed when someone goes out at 10 pm to feed their dog. Get a clue people, even Jack Hanna said there was no other option.
The real problem is a private individual had dangerous, exotic animals that should be either wild in their native habitat or in a zoo run and sanctioned by professionals.