I debated over the title of this entry, but I would have been seen as less compassionate if I had made the title: Owner Justly Mauled by Lion and Tiger. But honestly that is my gut reaction when I hear stories like this.
In this story, a man had been keeping a lion and tiger, since they were quite young, in a cage on a meat packing plant rooftop in Mexico. One can only imagine the misery of the heat and confined spaces for these enormous creatures. Unfortunately, instances of keeping exotics as pets is not unusual there or here. Many people in the U.S. and in Texas keep exotic animals like this on their properties and treat them like pets, wrestling with them in the yard and taking them for walks on leashes. They often get these animals as cubs, thinking they are adorable and cute, and that if the animal grows up with the person, the animal will somehow become tame.
Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth. While the animal may grow up to trust the person feeding him, there is a fine line between accepting the food-giving hand and biting it off. These animals are not pets, but wild animals that need to be respected and allowed to have their space in the world.
I feel bad for the man who just lost his life — and for his family, but when people keep exotic animals as pets or amusements, it doesn’t surprise me when the animal eventually lashes out.
To see the story, click here.