Ohio Incident Should Serve as Wake up Call for Floridians Regarding Exotic Pets

Last month’s incident in which an Ohio man set loose his collection of lions, tigers, bears, monkeys and other animals from their cages highlights the safety risks posed by exotic pets. As Florida personal injury attorneys, we hope some good can come from this tragedy—namely, strict laws to ban the possession of these animals by ordinary citizens. Just How Dangerous Are Exotic Pets?

Born Free USA, a nonprofit advocacy organization, has documented some 1,500 attacks, escapes, and other incidents involving exotic pets since 1990. In addition, the organization has documented 75 human deaths since it began collecting data. Born Free notes that these figures are likely underestimates because it relies on local and national news reports.

Born Free's database is full of tragic accidents involving exotic pets. In October, a 4-year-old boy in Texas was mauled by a pet mountain lion kept by his aunt, and hospitalized for his injuries. In September, an 80-year-old man in Ohio was attacked by a 200-pound kangaroo at an exotic animal farm. Florida Leads the Country in Exotic Pet Attacks As we reported on this blog, a Florida toddler was killed this year after her family’s pet python squeezed her to death. In fact, according to Born Free, Florida has the most incidents of any state, many involving snakes.

While exotic pets may seem safe and even docile when they are young, they are still undomesticated and unpredictable. In addition, like all pet owners, an exotic pet owner can be held liable for injuries that their pet causes, which can be very costly and even lead to criminal charges in some cases. For these reasons, we encourage Florida residents to weigh the risks before buying an exotic pet. Source: My Health News Daily The Dellutri Law Group is focused on making bad situations better and putting lives back together.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Florida animal attack, you may be entitled to compensation. To learn more about your legal options, contact our experienced Florida injury attorneys for a free consultation.

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