October 13, 2001 Dallas, TX Two rhinos battled at the Brownsville Zoo, resulting in the death of one and serious injury to a maintenance worker. A female rhinoceros and two male rhinos were mistakenly put together in an exhibit meant to have two females and one male. Other
October 10, 2001 Jacksonville, FL A 10-1/2-ft-long albino boa snake latched onto a man’s wrist. The snake was subsequently killed to free the man. Reptiles
October 6, 2001 Lexington, TX A 3-year-old boy was killed by his step-grandfather’s “pet” tiger. The tiger grabbed the boy by the foot and took off running. Big Cats
October 5, 2001 Merced, CA A man’s “pet” Burmese python escaped from his cage and killed and devoured the man’s 30-lb pit-bull terrier puppy. Reptiles
October 5, 2001 Providence, RI A 7-ft-long alligator escaped from his home for the second time in two months. The alligator, Boots, was found sauntering down a street. Boots escaped from his chain-link-fenced yard. Reptiles
October 4, 2001 Orlando, FL A 13-ft-long king cobra was found in a garage underneath a cabinet. The possessor tried for four hours to capture the snake but ended up shooting the snake. The possessor was cited for failing to keep a snake in a safe and secure environment. Reptiles
October 3, 2001 Pompano, FL A woman fell into a coma after being bitten by a 5-ft-long Monaco cobra snake. The snake’s possessor did not have a permit to keep the snake and did not accompany the woman to the hospital to inform medical personnel what type of antivenin to use. The possessor was charged with four misdemeanor counts for owning and housing the snake improperly. Reptiles
September 27, 2001 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Bigglesworth, a “pet” serval, escaped again (see 08/02/01) from his home and was spotted in several different locations throughout the area. He was recaptured two weeks later and his possessor relinquished him to a sanctuary. Small Cats