Eaten By His Pet

[naomi24]

A man in Iraq bought a lion to add to his collection of lions and other wild animals.  Within days the new arrival killed him and ate most of his body.  A neighbour shot the animal dead.  Apparently  Iraq is a hotspot for trafficking illegal wildlife.

 Short of using animals in a circus - not something I approve of - why would anyone want to own wild animals at all?  

[barry1010]

No sympathy 

[barry1010]

I knew this man when he had big cats, I don't know how he, his neighbours or their pet cats weren't eaten.  I wouldn't have called him a loveable rogue, he was an outright crook. 

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/lew-foley-lion-tiger-king-21721658

[Ellipsis]

> No sympathy

Except for the lion ...

[barry1010]

Yes indeed. Exotic animals should not be pets, very few animals should be kept as pets.

[jno]

as TTT posted the other day, there are more tigers in captivity in the USA than in the wild anywhere else. In the last 20 years, the lion population in Africa has roughly halved. So private ownership of wild animals may be the best thing for the species, perverse as it may seem.

[barry1010]

Private ownership in properly regulated zoos and safari parks, with considered breeding and rewilding programmes is a good thing.

Unregulated ownership in back gardens is a terrible thing 

[youngmafbog]

Twas only going to end one way, shame the lion had to die though.

jno does have a point though.

[wolf63]

I spoke to a friend who is a vet about this years ago.

She said that Lions were no more aggressive than a normal house cat.   Many cats punch/swat a paw at someone when they don't get their own way.

The difference is that a Lion is much bigger and could decapitate a human. 

All cats are unpredictable.   

He knew the risks.

Here is a link to the story:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/iraqi-man-killed-and-devoured-by-pet-lion-he-tried-to-tame-just-days-after-buying-it-101747209173912.html

 

[Ellipsis]

Do you remember Tiger King, the Netflix hit at the start of lockdown?  I remember being stunned when I realised it wasn't a drama, it was real!

[Canary42]

Even big cats can be picky with their food - I wonder which bit it left !

i hope the neighbour is prosecuted for killing it, but don't hold your breath.

[naomi24]

Prosecuted in Iraq for killing an animal?  I doubt that very much.  They don't care about peoole - much less animals.

[naomi24]

*people

[Untitled]

he deserved it. 

[sandyRoe]

I'm reminded of this monologue by Stanley Holloway.  Though I don't think the Iranian would have poked his lion with a stick.

?si=RmpA6wnlFKzNaxWs

[Old_Geezer]

That'll teach the lion not to eat it's master; it won't do that again.

[ToraToraTora]

not a dry eye in the house. sad they shot the Lion.

[Buenchico]

I'm most definitely not defending people who own wild animals but the answer to your question ("why would anyone want to own wild animals at all?) must surely be to enjoy the company of such magnificent beasts:

[nailedit]

This guy knows how to live with lions,

seen loads of his vids, respectful to his pride...