One of the first animals you see at the pittsburgh zoo is an older Siberian Tiger. Even though he is old, he is beautiful. What is really beautiful about him is his size : Siberian tigers are huge! So here is the story about a teenage girl killed by a Siberian tiger:
"A local teenager who was killed while having her picture taken with a Siberian tiger was remembered by classmates and teachers for her energy and "zeal for life," while two animal welfare groups demanded investigations into the attack.
Haley Hilderbrand, 17, was visiting the Lost Creek Animal Sanctuary on Thursday in Mound Valley, where, for years, area high school seniors have gone to have their class photos taken alongside the sanctuary's exotic fauna.
While the 7-year-old tiger was being restrained by the sanctuary's owner, Doug Billingsly, it turned and severely bit Hilderbrand, who later died of her wounds."
The real question, is what a Siberian tiger is doing in Kansas, and why do people want their picture taken with it? Again: Siberian tigers are huge: I wouldn't come near one. Of course, this is Kansas, and having lived in Kansas for 1 1/2 years, I can testify that there isn't much to do there - but get your picture taken with a Siberian tiger? BAD IDEA! BEING IN KANSAS IS NOT AN EXCUSE!
I feel terrible for the girl, but also terrible for the tiger who had to be killed (after living a life of captivity in some Kansas freak show zoo). BTW, where i lived in Kansas, Manhattan, had a zoo: it should be shut down. I can't tell you how depressing the Manhattan zoo is. Even the Topeka zoo is horrible. And living in Kansas is no excuse!
I was an Assoc Prof at Kansas state univ for 3 semesters: I have never experienced such geographic, social and intellectual isolation. And people go there to "learn" -?! You'd learn more leaving Kansas than staying!
2 comments:
It is a tragic loss, but the people that are complaining have not said anything over the last 10 years of the great things these people have done to help these animals that have been mistreated and abused.
The family of this teenager is the ones that should have complaints. No one has heard from them.
People that go around looking for others misery are miserable people themselves.
Lost Creek isn't some "Kansas freak show". It is a sanctuary for exotic animals which rescues these magnificent creatures when they have nowhere else to go.
It has an excellent reputation for the quality care which its owners provide, and an equally good reputation for safety. Every precaution is taken, and no one is allowed near these animals without the proper guidelines being followed. In its 11 years of operation, they've had no problems.
Sadly, tragically, accidents can and do happen, regardless of how careful people are.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Hilderbrand and Billingsly families.
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