Tiger Attack Could Be Fatal Blow For Zoo

San Fran Zoo, Already Under Fire, Could Lose Its License After Deadly Christmas Attack

(CBS/AP)  The deadly tiger escape at the San Francisco Zoo could prove to be a costly blow to an institution that has come under fire repeatedly in just the past few years over the deaths of two elephants and the mauling of a zookeeper.

The zoo could face heavy fines from regulators. It could be stripped of its exhibitor license. Its accreditation could be at risk. It could be hit with a huge lawsuit by the victims or their families. It could even face criminal charges, depending on what the investigation finds.

"All this legal action is likely to impact the financial viability of the zoo," said Rory Little, a professor at the University of California's Hastings College of the Law. "Whether the zoo can stay open is a big question."

The zoo has been closed since Christmas Day, when the 350-pound Siberian tiger escaped from its enclosure and killed a teenager and severely mauled two other visitors. It is becoming increasingly clear the tiger climbed over a wall that at 12 feet 5 inches was about 4 feet below the recommended minimum for U.S. zoos.

Zoo officials said Friday they planned to reopen the facility on Jan. 3.

The zoo will be required to issue a report about the attacks to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' accreditation commission, which will then decide whether to take any action. The association has issued statements in support of the zoo this week, and CEO Jim Maddy said in a statement Friday the zoo is a member in good standing.

The AZA, which has 216 members, typically inspects and accredits zoos every five years, and on average one facility loses its accreditation each year for not meeting association standards, said spokesman Steve Feldman.

The organization didn't renew the San Francisco Zoo's accreditation in January 2005 after a three-day inspection found a number of operational and maintenance problems. The zoo eventually received full accreditation in March 2006 after the AZA found the problems had been corrected.

San Francisco Zoo Director Manuel Mollinedo said the AZA never noted any deficiencies with the wall around the tiger enclosure.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is responsible for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, also could impose penalties, including fines, or suspend or revoke the zoo's exhibitor license if it is found that the zoo violated federal regulations on animal enclosures, said USDA spokesman Jim Rogers.

USDA inspectors were sent to the zoo to determine if an investigation is warranted, Rogers said.

"They're going to try to determine how the animal got out and whether that violated our regulations," Rogers said. "A facility must have a sufficient barrier between the viewing public and the animals."

Legal experts said lawsuits are also likely. Already, the zoo is facing a lawsuit by zookeeper Lori Komejan, who was attacked last year when she fed the same tiger involved in the deadly escape. The animal mauled her arm.

In October, Komejan sued the city of San Francisco, seeking compensation for lost wages, medical expenses and emotional distress. She accused the city, which owns the zoo property, of "housing the tigers with reckless disregard for the safety of animal handlers and members of the general public."

The California Division of Occupational Health and Safety issued a report that found the zoo at fault for Komejan's injuries. The report said zoo officials knew the big-cat exhibit posed a hazard because the animals could reach under the cage bars. The agency fined the zoo $18,000 and ordered safety improvements.

The zoo added customized steel mesh over the bars, built in a feeding chute and increased the distance between the public and the cats.

CBS News affiliate KPIX reporter Simon Perez reports that several San Francisco supervisors are worried about potential lawsuits against the city. A close look at the zoo's lease however, appears to let the city off the hook. Although the families of the victims could sue the city, the lease between the zoo and the city explicitly states that the zoo is ultimately liable for "any injury to or death of any person…in, on or about the Zoo premises."

Komejan's attorney, Michael Mandel, said he sees parallels between Komejan's case and the Christmas Day rampage, when the tiger killed 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. and mauled his friends Paul Dhaliwal, 19, and Kulbir Dhaliwal, 23.

"In both cases, there were certainly insufficient safeguards to protect both employees and the public," Mandel said.

In the latest attack, Mandel said: "I find it hard to accept the fact that they weren't even aware that the wall didn't meet the standard set by the association. They're not even aware of their own deficiencies."

Three years ago, two elephants died at the zoo, prompting it to remove its remaining elephants to an animal sanctuary. Animal activists complained about conditions at the zoo, and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed tough requirements that forced the zoo to extensively refurbish habitats for other animals.

Among the lawsuits that the zoo could face would be those filed by the victims and their families, even if investigators find that the Sousa and his friends had provoked the tiger or ignored warnings not to taunt the animals, Little said.

"Inevitably, there are going to be lawsuits filed," Little said. "Even if they provoked the tiger, a reasonable person would believe that the tiger could not escape. That's what you count on when you go to the zoo. You count on the idea that the animals cannot reach you."

It is also possible that the zoo could face criminal charges of negligent homicide if the investigation finds the zoo contributed to the death and injuries of the victims, he said.

The two surviving victims could also be charged with a crime if they are found to have caused or contributed to Sousa's death, even unintentionally, he said.

Meanwhile late Friday, police released a transcript of dispatch chatter from the night of the attack. The transcript reveals that zoo security briefly made officers wait to enter as zoo employees responded with tranquilizers.

It wasn't clear from the transcript how long police were kept out of the zoo.

Police have never indicated their response was hindered by any delays, and police Chief Heather Fong has praised the response of the officers for their quick action and collaborative work with the zoo staff.

According to the transcript, police were called to investigate a disturbance at 5:08 p.m. The document said at 5:17 p.m., a dispatcher noted zoo security was not letting officers in.

"Zoo personnel have the tiger in sight and are dealing with it," the transcript reads. "The (victim) is inside a cafe at the other side of the zoo."

The transcript does not indicate when the emergency responders were let in, but by 5:20 p.m. the medics had located one victim.

As more emergency responders raced to the scene and medics attended to the victim, at 5:25 p.m. a dispatch that was sent read that an officer had spotted the tiger.

At 5:27 p.m. the officers began firing at the animal.

[feelfree1]

Maybe Chevron can purchase this facility, and use it to extract "Human Energy" for use in their Burmese rape-rooms, and to augment their kickback kitties in illegal bribes of tyrants for profit, such as we saw them do during the sanction era against Saddam.

[compdude1]

wow this is amazing. anyways they should turn the zoo into a computer training camp for beginers to adv.

[brianbwb-2009]

The thought of closure of the world famous zoo causes mixed feelings, on one hand, the incarceration of animals is inhumane, barbaric, and unnecessary, but on the other hand, because of human idiocy, the tigers in zoos may soon be all that are left on earth.

At least the monkeys have it right, they throw excrement at their captors, openly display erotic behavior, and otherwise show their contempt at being held captive by a clearly inferior species.

[tbweb]

It has now come to light that the wall is only 12 and a half feet, not the 20 feet first thought! Experts now agree this exotic Tiger can leap 12 feet easily especially when agitated or provoked! I can only imagine the look on that guys face after taunting this Tiger and then being face to face with it about to be killed and eaten moments later, someone should have checked the seat of his pants, I know a load was there!

[formrusmcsgt]

It amazes me that otherwise civilized people think it anything but cruel to take a wild animal and force it to spend it''s entire existence in a cage.

Some contend that the practice is justified because children need to be exposed to nature. While true, seeing an animal in a box is not exposing them to nature.

There is a plethora of excellent documentaries showing animals in their natural splendor.

[roger_inkart]

I live in the Bay Area and there''s NO WAY we''ll let this zoo go under. While it has had its problems and the killing is a formidable blow, the area will rally around this cherished institution and make sure it comes out a better place, safer for the occupants and the visitors.

[toolmangler-2009]

.SFCA Gestapo should have tazered them,instead of shooting kitty!
Posted by lexluthor5 at 06:56 AM : Dec 29, 2007


You need to rethink your post, your ''namesake would smack you silly if he read that unthinking tripe. (and you would deserve it too) (grin)

[Krazcarl]

CLOSE the animal prison close them all you want to see wild life go into the wild period.

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by az97202 at 05:35 AM : Dec 29, 2007


I am sorry that the young man died, I hate it for his family. But beyond that, all parties involved got what they deserved (Except for the Cat) the Cat was just being a ''Cat''. The Zoo was at fault because they failed to take into account, the leaping ability of an angry Tiger, The AZA for not telling the Zoo the same thing, and the kids for making the Tiger angry in the first place. Nobody ''deserves'' to die, but the scars are deserved. The parents ''may'' be to blame also if they never tried to teach their children not to be cruel to other beings.

[toolmangler-2009]

CLOSE the animal prison close them all you want to see wild life go into the wild period.
Posted by crzmeat at 11:08 AM : Dec 29, 2007


Can''t do that until we make population (human) cntrol a priority. Poaachers will hunt down and kill every wild animal on earth to make a buck. we need room for the animals before we can leave them to natures bidding.

[slim1h2o]

Can''''t do that until we make population (human) cntrol a priority. Poaachers will hunt down and kill every wild animal on earth to make a buck. we need room for the animals before we can leave them to natures bidding.

Posted by ToolMangler at 11:19 AM : Dec 29, 2007

I can see a time when there is no animals in the wild, at all.

They will be in preserves, zoos, and the like.

Hey,, wait a minute, Ain''t we almost there?

[gmond]

I doubt anyone got what they deserved, and until someone explains what constitutes "tiger taunting" this tragedy appears to be another case of bureaucratic negligence.

[excoachken]

This is just what "developers" of the area have wanted--- An excuse to take away a beautiful public treasure and make a quick $Billion. Don''t fall for it. I am not some big animal fan and have no interest in any Zoo, but I recognize the value that such a place has in the cultural development of our children''s minds. Don''t let the "money pigs" gobble it up!

[nothappyatall]

"I doubt anyone got what they deserved, and until someone explains what constitutes "tiger taunting" this tragedy appears to be another case of bureaucratic negligence.

Posted by gmond"

It was on a SF talk show late last night when a woman from the performing animal welfare group who runs a sanctuary was a guest on the show and described how a TAUNTED teased tiger or animal can do much more than a normal one because they focus in on the object of torment, that explains how a tiger who normally cant jump a 12'' wall CAN- like the person who sees a car wreck laying on a kid can turn the car over- the adrenyline. And there IS evidence a fence was climbed and other evidence that suggests the boys may have been messing with the animal maybe to see who could get closest.
The fact they wouldnt give their names or cooperate says a LOT.

[nothappyatall]

Pat Derby was on the radio last night

www.pawsweb.org

[userverfied]

It isnt possible to fire anybody in a public organization in San Francisco, because that could provoke a lawsuit, because the labor laws have been written by Libs who control the local politics in the City of SF. Thats what happens when Libs are in charge too long.

[cdfoxtrot]

I doubt anyone got what they deserved, and until someone explains what constitutes "tiger taunting" this tragedy appears to be another case of bureaucratic negligence.

Posted by gmond

What does "bureaucracy" have to do with this??? And perhaps you should go look up the word "taunt" if you really don''t understand what it means. The most galling thing about this incident, aside from the unnecessary killing of this unfortunate tiger who was TAUNTED, is that these delinquent juveniles may now have the prospect of becoming multi-millionaires for their horrible misdeeds. And it will all be at the expense of the remaining surviving animals at this facility.

[element51]

When I was a child I was taught not to put my hand on a hot stove. I was taught not to stick my finger in a light socket. Don''t run with scissors...all that stuff. But no one ever had to tell me not to tease a tiger. These bozos were trying to show who had the biggest di*k and the tiger was just reacting like any wild animal would. To bad that one got killed but he should have left the animal alone. As for closing the zoo, while I am not a big believer in zoos I realize that without them many species will become extinct because of man''s greed. Inspect the zoo, fix the problems and carry on.

[element51]

And I agree with cdfoxtrot. I bet the two survivors are lying in their hospital beds, paid for by the taxpayers, planning all the ways to spend all the money, taxpayers, they will collect for their stupidity. You can bet that the lawyers are drooling over all those millions they will collect. It''s a sad world when this kind of stuff happens. Maybe those two guys will buy a tape measure with some of that money and won''t have to play,"I can get closer to the tiger than you can" any more. What a couple of bozos.

[nmsuip]

"...''Inevitably, there are going to be lawsuits filed,'' Little said. ''Even if they provoked the tiger, a reasonable person would believe that the tiger could not escape. That''s what you count on when you go to the zoo. You count on the idea that the animals cannot reach you.''"

So obviously in today''s society we can''t count on the idea that a "reasonable person" wouldn''t intentionally screw around with a 350 lb. tiger in the first place.

As the Fruitcake Lady said, "...Everything You Would Already Know If You Had Any Sense..."

[offtheback]

First, the fact is that these morons were byond the viewing public barriers. These barriers are posted in multipul languages at my expense. Due dilligance was done to protect the rational viewing public, there is nothing you can do to protect the irrational. Any attorney who pursues this case should be disbared for ethics violations, or at the very least should have their practice suffer in that no one ever retains them again for any mater. See we do have the ability to quell such litigation.
Second, this is a beautiful example of gene pool cleansing. this dumb as donky stuff mofo will no longer be alowed to procreate and further poulute the already questionable geen pool.
Lastly I say give the two remaining idiots a coupla'' million each then follow them around with video cameras for a while. Given the intelligence they already have shown we will be certian to witness their timely demise doing something equally as stupid. Now there is som reality tv worth watching.

[Krazcarl]

GOOD all zoo''s should be closed down these animals did nothing to anyone and should live free like the creator intended but there''s a buck in it and we all know how that works...

[marcpcbs]

I am never going to believe that this tiger just jumped out of its cage and hurt these alleged "innocent" people.

I spent from 1959 to 1979 living in San Francisco. I''ve been to the SF Zoo many hundreds of times and to my knowledge, this has never happened before.

I can''t believe that a huge source of joy for countless thousands of people per year could be closed because of this.

Many of the animals at large zoos don''t come from the wild. They are received from situations of private ownership that have gone bad. Most of these animals at large city zoo''s would not be able to survive in the wild and are now getting the best treatment they have ever known.

[Krazcarl]

marcpcbs...your an idiot if you actuly believe these animals are better off you get locked for a while see how you feel stupid...

[marcpcbs]

crzmeat

You obviously didn''t read what I wrote. Many of these cats come from private ownership where they are mistreated and the can''t go back into the wild.

That leaves two options, a high budget, caring facility like a zoo, or death.

[prairiefox1]

THEY SHOULD CLOSE THE ZOO! SINCE THE ANIMALS CANNOT SURVIVE IN THE WILD THEY SHOULD BE PUT DOWN! IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF COMPUTER IMAGES AND HOLOGRAPHY AN EXHIBIT COULD BE VIEWED WITHOUT THE AROMA THERAPY!

[dddptc]

In the frency to blame the boys, it seems one thing has been lost!
this female tiger had a history of unprovoked attacks...
is the zoo responsible for what happened...yes...the tiger should have been removed from public exhibit.
a young boy was mauled and ripped to death and the world will never know what great things he could have given humanitity!!!!!that is the greatest lost of all!!!!!~~~

[offtheback]

Posted by dddptc
In the frency to blame the boys, it seems one thing has been lost!
this female tiger had a history of unprovoked attacks...

Unprovoked attacks? Let''s see someone resembeling prey bearing food and idiots teasing and running away (=chicken stuf) resembeling prey. Seems unprovoked to me too, if I had ZERO experience with animals. However, I do have experience with animals, both wild and domestic. This animal was set up for failure and that is the only sad part about this.
Good riddance to morons that believe we should protect them from their own testosterone poisioning.
Later cat food...

[carolrhill]

I am sure that this cat was teased by these boys until she could not take anymore. But this cat attacked a person that feeding her because the person that was feeding her put her hand in the cage trying to get something out of it. That was beyond stupid this is wild animal. I always thought like dogs that get the flavor of humans they are put down right away because they will do it again. But the thing is they are endangered and that is a fact.
The boys did something to the cat but now all the lawyers are in lined to make a lot of money over the stupid things the boys did and I am sure taxpayers are paying for the hospital bills.
I just love the way the parents are acting as though their children are so wonderful but they have a long police record and that is fact.

[marcpcbs]

OffTheBack

Moron brand cat food.

mmmmmmmmm interesting idea

[marcpcbs]

ilikecats1

I am someone who believes that all the good hard work done by Zoos all around the world to promote education and to save animals and the environment is more important than a hand full of morons.

[sgtrds]

These punks go to the zoo looking for trouble. They taunt a wild animal and then get exactly what they deserve. Now the zoo might have to close because of these as*sholes? Hell the city should be suing them! It''s a dam*n shame the tiger didn''t kill all three of them!

[userverfied]

This is all the Libs fault. Animal rights activists refused to destroy the cat even though it has had this kind of known history for many years.

[offtheback]

Posted by ilikecats1
Pretty sicko. Do they let you out often or did you escape?

I like cats too, in fact I am graced each day by the presence of 2 currently. I realize, however that they are animals and when we play slap or some such game I don''t cry when I bleed. Nor do I retaliate. It''s part of the game with a domestic animal. I have an IQ above tree moss and would never "play" with an animal that can and will kill me as part of the game. They don''t see the difference. GET IT?
I have grown up with domestic and wild animals, encountered bears in the woods and many other such, never been harmed. These s***bags did something that, by the rules of nature got them what is dictated by those rules. I could not have protected them, nor would I have. They made themselves cat food.
Again, good riddance cat food...
And yes I''m out quite often. Care to play?

[tigeress33-2009]

I still don''t understand what you all are talking about. The "cat" killed someone...humm? Let''s think about this rationally a "tiger" attacks its prey. If this story was told in some country in Africa you all would be saying well serves that guy right for being out there where tigers prey, I think all of you have forgotten that this is a wild animal and it%u2019s the price people pay to see them caged up. I mean how would you feel if you weren''t able to roam about freely. Be glad he didn''t attack more. Unprovoked attacks, is just plain BS. To hunt is in this animals DNA. Stop persecuting the tiger for doing what he does naturally.

[sgtrds]

Tigeress33

I agree. The tiger was just being a tiger. The trouble making punks were being punks. The real victims here are the tiger and the people who might have their zoo closed. I have no sympathy at all for the punks or their families. None.

[lambofgoth]

Just to build on what that kook UserVerified rambled, I think it''s Bush''s fault. I mean, this cat was clearly a fascist. Probably seeking to destroy Al-qaida. Probably was storing weapons of mass destruction in her den. I wonder if the ''pubs had some intelligence on this tiger. She probably worked for Bin Laden. Or worse... Hillary!
Yeah... that''s it. That''s My story and I am sticking to it.

[tigeress33-2009]

lambofgoth:

That has got to be the gayest comment I have ever read!!!!

[mcv57]

I have no sympathy at all for the punks or their families. None.

Posted by SgtRDS

You surely are an ***. It is clear that the San Francisco Zoo was in violation of safety code (wall was 12 feet; not 18 feet as outlined. Teenage dumb*As*ses yes, but no ways does justice call for DEATH for stupidity. Maybe, we should slap a 5 lb. steak on your head then have you test other zoo tiger security integrity around the country. You are an gaint ****ho*le.

[mcv57]

SgtRDS,
You are a gaint as*s* hole.

[blackbug99]

A Moron teasing the cat should be a guard tasering the idiot case. Yes, tigers will be tigers, but this zoo didn''t provide the safety to the public to allow such tasering. In the end "idiot boys''" friend dies saving him. Two innocent lives were lost...The heros'' and the animal who wasn''t protected from its instinct. Four more feet of wall and we have a jerk with a big fine and a pissed off but alive natural treasure.

[sgtrds]

They were as*sholes who went to the zoo to find trouble and they found it teasing a wild animal. That makes them at the very least too genetically stupid to be allowed to live and at the worst cruel. Either way they got what they deserved. I''m glad the one is out of the gene pool and sorry the other two aren''t. Here''s hoping that at least they learned a lesson, even if it did have to come at the expense of an animal that was better and more valuable in the world then they.

[offtheback]

Posted by Tigeress33

That has got to be the gayest comment I have ever read!!!!

Brilliant!!! What are you, 10 or so?

[offtheback]

Posted by mcv57

no ways does justice call for DEATH for stupidity...

Perhpas not the criminal justice system, but fortunatly the much higher power, the laws of nature do.

So long cat food...

[Krazcarl]

Zoo''s should be baned period they have 0 use besides somewhere to take the faimly on your day off. I see 0 thrill in caged animals if you want to see caged animals go to the local prison....

[rushlimpdrug]

The responsible parties for all this mess are
1. The San Francisco Zoo Director Manuel Mollinedo and

2. The AZA

These two retards are the points of accountability the city relies on for properly operate the zoo.

"The city" transfers responsibilty to these two as a matter of maintining proper control of such an entity.

The only reason the city is being held accountable is for the money hungry lawyers and the "terrible loss" the family of the "victims" have incurred.

The zoo director, people at the AZA, Jack Hanna, and the fathers of the three should be caged in the zoo.
I''d pay good money to see that.

[bfranklin9]

Big deal. One less mexican. I''d settle for a 12 foot fence on the border.

[toolmangler-2009]

but no ways does justice call for DEATH for stupidity.
Posted by mcv57 at 12:14 AM : Dec 30, 2007



Depends on your definition of ''justice''! In Darwinism, that is the justice that ''stupidity'' deserves.

[slim1h2o]

Depends on your definition of ''''justice''''! In Darwinism, that is the justice that ''''stupidity'''' deserves.

Posted by ToolMangler at 01:40 PM : Dec 30, 2007

As Forrest Gump would say....." Stupid is,,as stupid dpoes

[rohink-2009]

The one youth that died and the other two that were injured would be alive today if they hadn''t taunted the tiger. I have a question for the zoo employee that got her arm mauled by the tiger. Why in the h*ll did you get close enough to it to get attacked?