October 21, 2000 Gambier, OH A tiger at the Siberian Tiger Foundation bit a 10-year-old boy on the leg. The boy and his father had paid to enter the compound for a “close encounter” with Siberian tigers chained to posts. The boy was treated at a local hospital and released. According to the USDA, ten instances of people being injured by tigers occurred in the previous 9-month period at this facility. Big Cats
October 19, 2000 Arlington, TX A “pet” panther on the loose and was spotted on three separate occasions throughout a residential neighborhood. Big Cats
October 12, 2000 Los Angeles, CA Evelyn, a gorilla at the Los Angeles Zoo, used overgrown honeysuckle vines to pull herself out of her enclosure and wandered the grounds for an hour until subdued by a tranquilizer dart. All patrons were evacuated and no visitors or staff were injured in the incident. Primates
October 9, 2000 Evansville, IN An emu was found shot to death on a creek bank. It was suspected that the emu was someone’s “pet.” Other
October 9, 2000 Greenville, NC A woman found a bag on the side of the road, which contained a boa constrictor. The snake was probably an abandoned “pet.” Reptiles
September 30, 2000 Rowan County, NC A black leopard cub and tiger cub escaped from their cages after the truck in which they were being transported crashed. Big Cats
September 28, 2000 Birmingham, AL Two lions escaped from a farm and killed several animals. Both lions were subsequently killed. Big Cats
September 16, 2000 Tulsa, OK Barney, a “pet” monkey, injured a child at a motel. The monkey either bit or scratched the 4-year-old girl’s cheek. Barney’s possessor was staying in the room adjacent to the girl’s room. Primates
September 13, 2000 Mapleton, KS A 75-year-old woman was killed by the “pet” deer she had raised from infancy. Other
September 8, 2000 Albuquerque, NM A tiger cub being used in a petting zoo at the New Mexico State Fair bit a visiting man on the arm as the man was having his picture taken with the cub. The man was treated for minor injuries. Big Cats