Cops Kill 49 Released Zoo Animals.

Forty-nine exotic animals were shot and killed in Ohio after a zoo owner released them from their enclosures just before committing suicide.

Before Terry Thompson shot and killed himself in his driveway, he released more than 18 Bengal tigers, eight bears, one baboon, three mountain lions, and two wolves from their cages. Alarmed residents called the local Sheriff who responded with force. He and his Deputies used assault rifles and handguns to shoot and kill 49 of the 56 released animals fearing that they would harm residents in the surrounding suburbs. 

Pictures of the piled up carcasses of tigers, bears, and lions are being spread across TVs all over the US, renewing the call for a ban on exotic animal ownership in Ohio. 

Exotic animal ownership is beyond cruel, it’s a public safety concern. The Humane Society of the United States has been promoting a ban on private ownership for years warning that people are frequently killed or injured by exotic animal “pets.” Ohio is one of just a few states that allows individuals to own exotic animals. This latest incident is just one of the 22 life threatening exotic animal incidents out of Ohio since 2003 alone.

This is a tragedy made all the more upsetting because it could have been easily prevented with a firm ban on exotic animal ownership. Take action now to help Ohio pass that ban and make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

[Thanks to @BillRautzen for the tip.]