In Memory of an 18 Tiger Massacre!
Animal lovers, we are passionate about our pets aren't we. We often treat our pets better than we do ourselves. Too often though passion blinds some to what is best for the animals. Animal hoarders who most often have the best intentions very often have animals that are ill and living in filth. Love for animals can often lead a person to take in too many animals they are not equipped to deal with. Lack of funds for proper care for so many animals, feeding expenses and space are usually the downfall for animal lovers who only want to help and end up doing massive harm.
This was the case with Terry Thompson of Zanesville Ohio. Exotic wildlife was his love. His inability to care properly for the 56 exotic creatures who lived on his 73-acre private reserve, a fierce menagerie that included wolves, monkeys and 18 Bengal tigers, an endangered species whose numbers total less than 3,000 in the wild. I am sure when he first started collecting these animals the final tragedy was not what he had in mind. As is so often the case of animal hoarders, Thompson had mental issues as well as a criminal past.
For years neighbors had reported Thompson animals on the loose and had gone wandering. Perhaps when authorities were called they were not aware of just what an exotic collection Thompson was hoarding. Creatures we normally only see in zoos, cared for by zoologists’, diets monitored by animal dieticians, vet care on demand.
When Thompson set his animals loose in Ohio, the end result was tragedy. There was no time to tranquilize the animals because they were not in a secure area and the drug can take 30 minutes to take effect, meanwhile you have an angry animal walking the streets, a danger to everyone.
When authorities invaded Thompsons reserve what they found were sickly malnourished animals living in filth, eating rotted meat, most in need of serious vet care. A far cry from the beautiful creatures we see in zoos or National Geographic films. Sadly at least 49 had been killed by Wednesday afternoon following the release by Thompson, most of them within 500 yards of their pens, including 17 lions and at least one animal described as a big cat that was hit by a car as it tried to cross a street. The cat was later euthanized by authorities.
Hoarding starts out as love for animals and trying to help, and most often ends up as animal cruelty. Remember that the next time you are tempted to take in 30 dogs or 40 cats. It is better to volunteer at your local shelter or donate to animal welfare causes and leave sheltering to those who are equipped to house and care for large numbers of animals.
