Wild Animals Shot in SE Ohio!

[MrCleveland]

(CNN) -- Law enforcement officials said Wednesday afternoon they had accounted for all but two in a menagerie of animals released from a Ohio farm. Only a wolf and a monkey were still on the loose.

Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said a missing bear and mountain lion were shot dead and a lion made it to a private backyard, where it died. They were among an estimated 51 exotic animals released Tuesday from Terry Thompson's farm outside Zanesville.

Thompson, 62, was found dead and authorities were waiting on the results of an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death, Lutz said. But he said preliminary investigations indicated Thompson pried open cages and left the farm's fences open and then died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Flashing signs on the highways in eastern Ohio warned motorists Wednesday: "Caution. Exotic animals." Schools were closed and some frightened residents said they were keeping to their homes as sheriff's deputies hunted lions, tigers, leopards and grizzly bears.

Sheriff's deputies used night vision equipment until daylight Wednesday to continue their search, which was hampered by rain. Lutz said deputies, armed with shotguns, patrolled in pickup trucks. This part of Ohio is wooded and hilly, making it conducive for the animals to hide.

Most of the escaped animals were put down. Lutz called them "senseless killings" of animals that were not in a proper environment.
He said his deputies, who found themselves in a volatile situation, had to shoot some of the animals at close range. A Bengal tiger was killed after it got agitated from a tranquilizer shot.
Hunt under way for escaped exotic animals
Mayor: Exotic animal owner shot himself
Officials try rounding up exotic animals
Exotic animals still on the loose

"We are not talking about your normal everyday house cat or dog," Lutz said. "These are 300-pound Bengal tigers that we have had to put down. "When we got here, obviously, public safety was my number one concern. We could not have animals running loose in this county."

Zanesville Mayor Howard Zwelling said he received calls from people who were concerned that the animals had been killed. He said authorities were trying to use tranquilizers whenever possible to save their lives.

Sam Kopchak, Thompson's neighbor, said he saw lions and bears running free Tuesday evening. A tiger was chasing horses, he said.

Kopchak managed to get himself and his horse into his barn and telephoned his mother.

"We have a major problem,:" he told her. That's when she called the police.

"It was like a war zone," Kopchak said when authorities descended on Thompson's property, set off the road named after Kopchak's family.

Kopchak described Thompson as being aloof. He loved animals. Kopchak saw him driving one time with a baby black bear on his chest.

Lutz said authorities found primates inside the house.

The community was in a state of "shock and surprise," said Tom Warne, owner of Donald's Donuts and a lifelong resident of the city of Zanesville.

"It's the craziest sort of thing," he said.

Warne said he had met Thompson a few times. He used to come into the doughnut shop at one time.

Thompson had his run-ins with the law. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal charges of possessing illegal firearms, including five fully automatic firearms, and had just been released from prison on September 30. A civil case seeking forfeiture of firearms is still pending, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Ohio's Southern District.

Thompson also was convicted of animal cruelty and animals at large in 2005 and was arrested several times for traffic violations.

Lutz said law enforcement officials were well aware of Thompson's animals and made numerous visits to the property to look into complaints and ensure that Thompson was in compliance with permits

Thompson's property is about two miles outside Zanesville, Zwelling said. Authorities said they received reports of animal sightings by residents. Columbus Zoo director emeritus Jack Hanna drove into Zanesville overnight to assist in the search.

But Hanna warned that the search was dangerous and human life came first.

"We're trying our best to make sure no one is hurt doing this," he said.

He said the animals were probably hiding out from the rain, but his advice to anyone who encountered one was this: Don't run. Just scream.

The menagerie of Thompson's animals also included wolves, giraffes and camels. Commuters reported seeing bears and wolves along Interstate 70. Lutz said one cat was hit and left wounded on the road.

The Humane Society of the United States urged Ohio officials Wednesday to issue an emergency rule to crack down on exotic animal ownership.

A previous emergency order issued by then-Gov. Ted Strickland that prohibited people convicted of animal cruelty from owning exotic animals expired in April.

The Humane Society said Thompson "would almost certainly have had his animals removed by May 1, 2011, if the emergency order had not expired."

"Every month brings a new, bizarre, almost surreal incident involving privately held, dangerous wild animals," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society. "In recent years, Ohioans have died and suffered injuries because the state hasn't stopped private citizens from keeping dangerous wild animals as pets or as roadside attractions. Owners of large, exotic animals are a menace to society, and it's time for the delaying on the rule-making to end."

Fritz Douthitt, a volunteer at the Zanesville Animal Shelter Society, recalled Thompson's 2005 trial for cruelty and torture of cattle and bison. She said he had not been able to get up the hill to feed his livestock and they died.

Douthitt said it is inappropriate for people like Thompson to keep dangerous animals as pets, just as it was to shoot so many of them. Local governments, she said, ought to train law enforcement officers so they are prepared for bizarre cases such as the one that unfolded in Zanesville.

For lions, tigers and bears to die, she said, was "unforgivable."

I have NO words to say but, "They should've used a lot of tranquilizers rather than kill 'em all"!

[spunkygirl]

I'm so disgusted by all of this. It's one thing if it's soemthing like with that macac monkey where it could be carrying the Herpes B virus, but then again we don't shoot humans who could be potentially carrying diseases.

[shotzette]

Thompson was insane to put this tragedy in motion. I'm sorry that some animals were killed, but public safety has to come first. I think that Jack Hanna did an excellent job of explaining the situation on the news this morning.

[Sterling Holobyte]

It's sad that some of the animals had to be put down, but given the choice between that and my child or anyone else's being pounced on by a tiger, I'll take putting the animal down.
And I don't know about Ohio, but in Wisconsin the cops aren't equipped with loads of tranquilizer darts and guns.

[catlover79]

I have to agree with shotzette and Sterling on this one. This guy was not taking care of the animals to begin with, so who knows what kinds of diseases they may have been carrying? Plus, if a grizzly or a tiger was after me, I'd do the utmost to protect myself and the people around me, and if that means putting it down, then so be it.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by catlover79

I have to agree with shotzette and Sterling on this one. This guy was not taking care of the animals to begin with, so who knows what kinds of diseases they may have been carrying? Plus, if a grizzly or a tiger was after me, I'd do the utmost to protect myself and the people around me, and if that means putting it down, then so be it.

Still, it is sad when any animal has to be destroyed. Terry Thompson
is the man who was responsible for this tragedy in the first place. And
people in Muskingum County, Ohio ought to be thanking Sheriff Matt Lutz
and his deputies for saving their lives instead of criticizing or second guessing
his decisions. As Sheriff of the county, he sometimes has to make decisions
that may be controversial so that people living in his county will be safe. Or
maybe you did not think about that, MrCleveland and Dragonflies.

[spunkygirl]

Don't talk down to me, I care about public safety, these animals had not attacked anyone at all.

They killed 8 Bengal Tigers, you are aware Bengal Tigers are going extinct. They killed them for what? NOTHING

[Lee]

Originally Posted by Dragonflies

I care about public safety, these animals had not attacked anyone at all.

They killed 8 Bengal Tigers, you are aware Bengal Tigers are going extinct.
They killed them for what? NOTHING

You obviously did not read this part of the article:
"He said his deputies, who found themselves in a volatile situation, had to
shoot some of the animals at close range. A Bengal Tiger was killed after it
got agitated from a tranquilizer shot"

Does that sound like those Bengal Tigers were not threatening anyone? You
obviously do not get the point that Tigers are wild and dangerous animals, not
domesticated pets. If those deputies had not intervened, those tigers would quite
likely have entered into areas where civilians lived and posed a threat to them. Those
deputies saved the lives of countless people in Muskingum County. As I said, Sheriff Lutz
and his department should be praised, not condemned in this situation. And I am not putting
you down, I am simply speaking the truth. You obviously care more about animals than human
beings.

[ponytail]

People who buy and keep exotic or wild animals are doing more harm than good. It needs to be banned.

[robyrob]

Originally Posted by Dragonflies

Don't talk down to me, I care about public safety, these animals had not attacked anyone at all.

They killed 8 Bengal Tigers, you are aware Bengal Tigers are going extinct. They killed them for what? NOTHING

they killed all 18 of the Bengal tigers

still don't understand why they had to shoot the giraffes (including the baby) and the camels though - they ended up killing ALL of the animals that escaped, except for the monkey that was killed by one of the other animals.

this is a tragedy, and the blame rests squarely on this stupid individual and the stupid politicians that have dragged their feet and killed the potential bills to prevent people from starting these zoos in their back yards.

[MrCleveland]

Originally Posted by Lee

Still, it is sad when any animal has to be destroyed. Terry Thompson
is the man who was responsible for this tragedy in the first place. And
people in Muskingum County, Ohio ought to be thanking Sheriff Matt Lutz
and his deputies for saving their lives instead of criticizing or second guessing
his decisions. As Sheriff of the county, he sometimes has to make decisions
that may be controversial so that people living in his county will be safe. Or
maybe you did not think about that, MrCleveland and Dragonflies.

Lee...

I support BOTH Human Protection and Animal Protection.

But if it was me as a Sherrif...I'd put the Bengal Tiger 20 ammunition of tranqulizers before bullets...at least they'll be out cold than just taken out!

So honestly...I'd rather have the wild animals pass out than pass away.

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by MrCleveland

Lee...

I support BOTH Human Protection and Animal Protection.

But if it was me as a Sherrif...I'd put the Bengal Tiger 20 ammunition of tranqulizers before bullets...at least they'll be out cold than just taken out!

So honestly...I'd rather have the wild animals pass out than pass away.

According to what I was reading in the NY papers about this incident, they didn't use tranquilizers because they were afraid that the animals would run off and hide.

You have to understand that for big animals, like lions and tigers, the drugs do not work right away. If you're lucky to hit them with 4 or 5 darts it may be quicker, but the animals would run off with the dart/s in them.

It could take 2-3 minutes for the animal to get knocked out and in that time they would have outran the people chasing it and found a place to hide. When they awaken you wouldn't know where they would spring up.

[robyrob]

Originally Posted by robyrob

they killed all 18 of the Bengal tigers

still don't understand why they had to shoot the giraffes (including the baby) and the camels though - they ended up killing ALL of the animals that escaped, except for the monkey that was killed by one of the other animals.

this is a tragedy, and the blame rests squarely on this stupid individual and the stupid politicians that have dragged their feet and killed the potential bills to prevent people from starting these zoos in their back yards.

updated information is that they were able to save 3 leopards, a bear and 2 monkeys which have all been transferred to the Columbus Zoo under the care of Jack Hanna.

...and a couple of local politicians are finally making an effort to make it slightly more difficult to own exotic animals in Ohio - you can't have more than 4 house cats in some counties, but if you want a grizzly bear or a Tasmanian Devil you are fine

...and they have had a black panther running loose in our neighborhood since the beginning of the summer that was someone's "house pet" that escaped, the closest they have gotten to catching it is finding its tracks and its kills, several local idiots with cell phone footage of dogs that they claim to be the panther, and one goat that some idiot shot thinking it was the panther.

[Coffeecup]

I just wonder if any neighbors knew of this man keeping all these animals. How do you keep dangerous animals in one's land. Animals like this either ought to be in native lands or in zoos.
Having tons of cats are one thing, although keeping too many of them isn't healthy either but dangerous animals. Terrible