When Animals Attack: Big Cats

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The following is a partial listing of incidents involving captive big cats since 1990. These incidents have resulted in the killing of 87 big cats, 53 human deaths, and more than 180 human injuries. Contact PETA for documentation.

1996:

December 21, 1996/Brooklyn Park, Minn.: Three pet-supply store workers were bitten or scratched by a 7-month-old tiger who had been brought to the store to have his picture taken. The three workers agreed to receive rabies shots.

December 15, 1996/Indonesia: A tourist was mauled to death by a chained tiger at a safari park while posing with the animal for a photograph.

December 6, 1996/Ababa, Ethiopia: A lion pushed open his cage door and killed his keeper at a roadside zoo.

October 9, 1996/Las Vegas, Nev.: A Las Vegas animal trainer had to undergo surgery on his feet and legs after being mauled by a tiger.

September 16, 1996/Crystal Beach, Texas: A declawed "pet" lioness died after she was shot and tranquilized by a deputy. The lioness attacked a man after a burglar had apparently set her free.

August 28, 1996/London, Ontario: A "pet" cougar mauled 2-year-old outside of London, Ontario.

May 6, 1996/Midlothian, Texas: A 6-year-old girl suffered severe injuries to her head, neck, arms, back, and legs in an attack by a tiger, one of seven big cats on a breeding farm. During the investigation it was found that these same cats had been involved in three previous documented attacks.

February 10, 1996/Pahang, Malaysia: An employee of the London Royal Circus suffered serious injuries to her thigh and calf after a lioness attacked her while she was cleaning her cage.

January 5, 1996/Vallejo, Calif.: One trainer at Marine World Africa was seriously hurt and another received minor injuries when they were attacked by two cougars as they prepared to take the cougars for a walk.

January 3, 1996/Calcutta, India: A tiger killed one man and mauled another at the Calcutta Zoo when they attempted to put a garland around his neck.

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