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Police shoot escaped circus tiger in Atlanta

By T.K. Randall
September 8, 2017 · Comment icon 25 comments

The tiger had once performed at the circus. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 4.0 Sujit kumar
The female Bengal tiger had inexplicably managed to escape a transport truck and was prowling the streets.
The alarm was raised on Wednesday when the powerful feline, whose name was Suzy, was spotted wandering around a suburban neighborhood.

The situation became increasingly dangerous as the animal began attacking people's pets.

Sadly, local law enforcement had no choice but to put the tiger down.
"When the tiger became aggressive toward pets in the area, it was deemed necessary for public safety to put it down, and it was done quickly and humanely," said Mark McKinnon, a spokesman for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

An examination of the animal later revealed a microchip from Feld Entertainment Inc, the parent company of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

An investigation in to how the tiger escaped from the transport vehicle is still ongoing.



Source: Reuters | Comments (25)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #16 Posted by AnchorSteam 7 years ago
Yeah... same here.  Pets should not have the status of a replacement for a child, even if that's what they are in practice. Kinda creeps me out, in fact.   And... I think the Cops were wrong in this case at any rate. #1 - the Tiger is indeed endangered, and far more valuable. #2 - the Tiger would have been busy with it's meal for a while, giving Animal Control time to find a way to control the situation. 3# - and this is a biggie;  Standard Police-issue weapons are not designed to bring down an 800-pound predator.  The potential for disaster was tremendous, one of the Cops could have been ... [More]
Comment icon #17 Posted by Kurzweil 7 years ago
I feel bad for the giant kitten. Poor guy. Doing what nature selected him to do, joining the circus, leaving the circus, and getting shot trying to hunt and eat food the only way he knew how. At least he died the way he wanted to...  
Comment icon #18 Posted by Eldorado 7 years ago
He lost his stripes.
Comment icon #19 Posted by Myles 7 years ago
I disagree.   The animals value isn't a concern for me.   Local police should not allow the tiger to eat peoples pets.   Do they need to also find out if the pet is a rare breed.   Maybe it would trump the tiger.    I would be upset if the tiger was just roaming and wasn't actively trying to kill someones dog.   
Comment icon #20 Posted by Captain Risky 7 years ago
You sure the tiger wouldn't have wanted to die another way.
Comment icon #21 Posted by Kurzweil 7 years ago
Don't get me wrong. I think he should have held out until his pension kicked in.
Comment icon #22 Posted by Captain Risky 7 years ago
or at least died in bed with a smile on his face.
Comment icon #23 Posted by Kurzweil 7 years ago
I'd still feel bad. I lost a dog to cancer. I have a soft spot for our animals. Wish i could figure out pictures here.
Comment icon #24 Posted by CJ1983 7 years ago
Maybe he was trying to play with the doggy.
Comment icon #25 Posted by pallidin 7 years ago
Tigers, even those who are 6 years old are large, powerful animals, able to eat small children as a snack. A beast of this power and cunning will attempt evading capture and will attack anything in its way. Tranquilizers, if a game officer is so equipped, take time to have effect, upon which time the tiger is extremely agitated and aggressive prior to sedation, and will often fatally lash-out at anyone nearby. Thus, in an urban setting with pets, children and adults around, tranquilizers are not an option. Unfortunately, as in this case, the animal must be shot with lethal projectiles to immed... [More]


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