People are such idiots

[CarolU]

Weird, but my husband and I thought this was the case when we first heard of the Tiger attack, and the 3 boys in the zoo after closing.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/27/tiger.attack/index.html

Goes to show you that these animals need protection from humans a lot more then humans need protection from the animals.

And OF COURSE the parents are blaming the zoo!

[Heidi]

First thing my husband said was "I bet those boys were taunting that tiger." They had to do something to trigger her, or enable her, to get out. She was being a tiger, the boys were being stupid and they paid dearly while the tiger paid with its' life for being what it is.

Moats and fences are there for a reason. Stupid should hurt. This time, it was fatal. Darwinism at work...

[mustangrider]

What do we expect when we put humans and animals together!?! If you put yourself in harms way, you can get killed...DUH! What a silly teenager. How crazy to say the zoo to blame. The boy was obvious not where he was supposed to be or it wouldn't have happened.

[PasoVicki]

There's a more detailed article about it in our local paper this morning. Apparently, there's evidence that the three young men were throwing sticks and pine cones at the tiger (while she was still in her enclosure) to taunt her . . . and then one or more of them climbed the fence and dangled their feet over her head until she finally got mad, jumped up, and used their legs to climb out of the enclosure. Then she mauled all three of them, killed one, and followed the trail of blood the other two left as they ran to the cafe. It's impossible to protect people from their own stupidity -- but I feel very badly for the tiger. She was just being a tiger.

[Heidi]

Parents sueing the zoo for not having enough protection for their boy.
Harumph!
I'd like to see the zoo present the parents with a countersuit for not teaching their boy about stupid actions and their consequences.

Oh, but silly me...today's parent aren't supposed to teach those things...parents think their children are supposed to learn about those things in school. *rolls eyes*

[PasoVicki]

I'd be very surprised to learn the zoo doesn't have signs to remind people not to climb the fences and/or harrass the animals. I guess they're supposed to have personal babysitters for every zoo visitor, to make sure people follow the rules (and common sense).
Oh, and all of this happened after closing time, when the visitors were supposed to have left. Want to take any bets that the young men purposely stayed behind after closing time, to give them an opportunity to break some rules and "have some fun" at the expense of a caged animal?

[Linda Y]

I knew it! I knew it! That is just exactly how I told my husband it happened, except for the climbing their legs part...I thought one of the stupid little (insert word of your choice here) managed to open the door. I figured that all 3 were involved from the beginnning.
That poor tiger. We can only hope that whoever hears their lawsuit has the sense not to let the parents win. I'm sorry, but I have no sympathy for the kid.

[CarolU]

Yes, this lawsuit reminds me of one here, that thankfully failed. Parents sued the power company when their 17-year-old climbed a tower and was killed by high voltage electricity. The parents felt the tower should have been fenced...but you know how many millions of towers and poles there are? And if a could could climb a tower, he can certainly climb a fence.

There is no way to protect stupid from doing stupid things.

It's just a shame that this tiger had to pay for those boy's FUN.

[PASOFAN]

It is tragic... I agree STUPID KIDS.. AND PARENTS TOO. I bet they are in alot of pain, and dont want to blame the dead and kids for what happened, they are blind at the moment I am sure.

I wish someone would tell them what we've said in this post, would open their eyes I'd hope..

Sad that they killed a tiger for being a tiger, what else do they think would have happened.. Just sad...

[Monty]

Yup Carol - can't legislate common sense :(
Day after the tigers attack - some dimwits ,cut the fencing in Wisc and let two cougars out ! They were captured but ! http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071227/MAN0101/71227042/1358/MANnews

[Jane Hurl]

I never know whether to cry (for the tiger) or rage (at the kids) when I hear things like this. That poor, poor cat!

*big, fat, despondent sigh*