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| Bears, tigers, lions and wolves loose from Ohio zoo | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Dozens of exotic animals have escaped from a private zoo in Zanesville, Ohio, and are roaming the area, say police. | Dozens of exotic animals have escaped from a private zoo in Zanesville, Ohio, and are roaming the area, say police. |
| Police have been receiving sightings of cheetahs, grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, tigers and lions. Up to 30 animals have been shot by authorities. | |
| The animals' owner, Terry Thompson, was found dead at the zoo, Muskingum County Animal Farm, but police have not said how he died. | The animals' owner, Terry Thompson, was found dead at the zoo, Muskingum County Animal Farm, but police have not said how he died. |
| Fences were left open at the farm, police said. | Fences were left open at the farm, police said. |
| Officials said on Wednesday that there were still concerned about the animals still out. | |
| "We think we still have 14 to 15 animals unaccounted for," Kim Hambel, director of operations for the Muskingham County Sheriff's Department, told CNN. | |
| Staff from the Columbus Zoo hoped to tranquilise the remaining animals after daybreak. | |
| TV host Jack Hanna, who is Columbus Zoo's director emeritus, said tranquilising animals in the dark was more dangerous. | |
| "You cannot tranquilise an animal like this, a bear or a leopard or a tiger [at night]," Mr Hanna told ABC on Wednesday. "If you do that, the animal gets very excited, it goes and hides, and then we have [police officers] in danger of losing their life, and other people." | |
| Police have urged people in Zanesville to stay indoors. | |
| Several local school districts cancelled classes, and flashing signs along nearby highways told motorists: "Caution exotic animals" and "Stay in vehicle." | |
| Ohio has some of the country's most lax regulation of exotic pets, reports say - and some of the country's highest rates of injuries and deaths caused by them. | Ohio has some of the country's most lax regulation of exotic pets, reports say - and some of the country's highest rates of injuries and deaths caused by them. |
| In 2010, an animal caretaker was killed by a bear at a property in Cleveland. The death was eventually ruled a workplace accident. | |
| 'Bad situation' | 'Bad situation' |
| "These are wild animals that you would see on TV in Africa," Sheriff Matt Lutz told a news conference on Tuesday. "We don't know how much of a head start these animals had on us." | |
| He said his office began getting phone calls at about 17:30 local time (21:30 GMT) on Tuesday saying animals were loose on a road just west of Zanesville. | He said his office began getting phone calls at about 17:30 local time (21:30 GMT) on Tuesday saying animals were loose on a road just west of Zanesville. |
| Four armed deputies were dispatched to the zoo, where they found Mr Thompson's body and the animal cages open. Several aggressive animals found near the body were shot, he said. | Four armed deputies were dispatched to the zoo, where they found Mr Thompson's body and the animal cages open. Several aggressive animals found near the body were shot, he said. |
| Mr Lutz said his main concern was protecting the public in the largely rural area. | Mr Lutz said his main concern was protecting the public in the largely rural area. |
| "This is a bad situation," Mr Lutz said. "It's been a situation for a long time." | "This is a bad situation," Mr Lutz said. "It's been a situation for a long time." |
| Federal Division of Wildlife officers have been drafted in to help with the situation, a local official said. | Federal Division of Wildlife officers have been drafted in to help with the situation, a local official said. |
| A neighbour of Mr Thompson, Danielle White, said he had been in legal trouble, and police said he had recently been released from jail. | A neighbour of Mr Thompson, Danielle White, said he had been in legal trouble, and police said he had recently been released from jail. |
| "He was in hot water because of the animals, because of permits, and (the animals) escaping all the time," Ms White said. A few weeks ago, she said, she had to avoid some camels which were grazing on the side of a freeway. | |
| Mr Thompson had been released from federal prison three weeks earlier after serving a one-year term on firearms charges, according to AFP. | |
| His farm was reportedly raided June 2008, seizing more than 100 guns. | |
| A local resident, Bill Weiser, said Mr Thompson had been a colourful character who flew planes, raced boats and owned a custom motorcycle shop which also sold guns. | A local resident, Bill Weiser, said Mr Thompson had been a colourful character who flew planes, raced boats and owned a custom motorcycle shop which also sold guns. |
| "He was pretty unique," Mr Weiser told AP. "He had a different slant on things. I never knew him to hurt anybody, and he took good care of the animals." | "He was pretty unique," Mr Weiser told AP. "He had a different slant on things. I never knew him to hurt anybody, and he took good care of the animals." |
| Are you in Ohio? Have you spotted any of the animals on the loose? Send us your experiences and your comments. Please remember when sending us pictures, video or eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others. | |
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