US

‘I’m Pretty Sure I Just Saw a Wolf’: Hear the 911 Calls From Ohio’s Exotic Animal Ordeal

Hear 911 Calls From Ohio Exotic Animal Release

Animal carcasses in Zanesville, Ohio Wednesday after a mass breakout from a wild animal preserve. (AP Photo)

And then there were two: Just a monkey and a wolf remain at large after a mass exotic animal escape from an Ohio wild animal preserve that included lions, bears and tigers.

Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said Wednesday afternoon that only two animals remain unaccounted for, though he said it is “highly likely” that the missing monkey could be carrying the Herpes B virus, which can be potentially fatal to humans if they’re bitten.

Lutz said 48 animals, including a 300-pound Bengal tiger, have been accounted for. Six were captured alive and the rest were shot.

As The Blaze previously reported, the animals’ owner opened their cages before committing suicide Tuesday.

“If the animals looked like they were going [out of the property], I told [deputies], ‘Put them down,’” Lutz told local station 10 TV.

Residents of Zanesville, Ohio stayed indoors Wednesday, with schools closed and motorists warned not to leave their cars. Many dialed 911 to report sightings beginning Tuesday night after the owner released them:

Hear 911 Calls From Ohio Exotic Animal Release

“I’m pretty sure I just saw a wolf,” one woman was heard saying on a 911 tape.

Another man called in, “I just found out there are animals loose in this area? I think I see one, it’s like a jaguar or a wolf or something.”

One 911 caller reported that a bear and lion were loose and chasing some of horses. Another reported a bear running back and forth along a fence.

Lutz said he believes the danger to residents has largely passed and that area schools can reopen.

“It‘s like Noah’s Ark, like, wrecking right here in Zanesville, Ohio,” said Jack Hanna, TV personality and former director of the Columbus Zoo who was called in to assist. “Noah’s Ark filled with tigers and lions and all leopards and a few monkeys and whatever, and it crashes here, and all of a sudden they’re out there.”

Hanna defended the sheriff against criticism that the animals should have been captured alive.

“What was he to do at nighttime with tigers and lions, leopards, going out there?” Hanna said. “In the wild this would be a different situation.”

Hanna told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that if an officer shot a bear, a leopard or a tiger with a tranquilizer at night, “the animal gets very excited, it goes and hides, and then we have his officer in danger of losing their life, and other people.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments (119)

1 2 3
  • Walkabout
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:44pm

    Was he facing bankruptcy? Could he not found good homes for these animals at refuges zoos or back in their native ranges? Pieces of this story are missing.

    Report Post »  
    • proantisocialist
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 8:19pm

      he found out under obamacare he would have to provide health insurance for all the animals…..

      Report Post » proantisocialist  
  • capecodsully
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:42pm

    Whoever is responsible for this man maintaining his license to keep these animals should be fired. These animals should have been removed long before this. Maybe Jack Hanna could look into that since he doesn’t mind making money off of animals, maybe he could actually do some good on behalf of them.

    Report Post »  
    • pamela kay
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:24pm

      I agree. This is in my area and he is not the only one. I feel so sorry for these beautiful defenseless animals. It makes me sick. From what I understand Columbus zoo offered to help. It caused a complete panic, but I still hate the fact that these animals were killed all because this man was allowed ro have them in the first place. I heard that he was not able to feed them due to the costs. He felt they would be killed if he were not around to care for them. Which makes no sense. He owed it to those animals to place them before he took his own life. I posted awhile back that here on our property we had a cougar. Some local idiot that was known for having them suddenly no longer had them on his property. This is no life for a wild animal. They were not intended to be pets. On the man’s behalf that had the animals in Zanesville, he did take in some animals that were in need of homes. Still, I am a firm believer that it should be against the law to keep them unless they are carefully monitored and the sanctuaries have sufficient housing and care. There is a need for a proper and regulated sanctuaries for these animals that are no longer wanted. If it were illegal to obtain these animals then there would be no reason for the facilities. As for our cougar he has moved slightly south of us (after killing all the stray cats that we inherited when we moved in) It has been sighted on a regular basis.

      Report Post » pamela kay  
    • Bonnieblue2A
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:36pm

      Normally it would be the state’s Department of Agriculture that oversees such licenses and the state veterinarian that inspects such facilities for condition and health of the animals.

      Report Post »  
  • chevy65
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:39pm

    I love animals too, but it’s not like these critters were going to add to the species in the wild., so it’s best to take em out before they hurt anyone.

    Report Post »  
    • PApeacemaker
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:31pm

      Your a straight moron! They could have been tranqed & been taken to another animal habitat or zoo esp. the Bengal tiger there rare & endangered. An NO im not a supporter of PETA I just dont think you go around slaughtering innocent animals who in all likely hood were used to humans & wouldnt just go kill people. This sheriff needs to be FIRED for his idiotic decisions. All they had to do was call in the local wild life authorities & get them captured alive.

      Report Post » PApeacemaker  
    • mr.goodvibe
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:02pm

      You are a moron PA. It is sad that these animals have to be killed because of the stupid owner but I would rather see them dead than a child playing in their yard.

      Report Post » mr.goodvibe  
    • bikerr
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:25pm

      @papeacemaker—If you would have read to the bottom of the article you would have read this—-Hanna told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that if an officer shot a bear, a leopard or a tiger with a tranquilizer at night, “the animal gets very excited, it goes and hides, and then we have his officer in danger of losing their life, and other people.”—–But you probably need help just to post what you did.

      Report Post »  
    • yougottabekidding
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 7:12pm

      Pa I agree you are a maroon.
      Have you ever stood in front of a three hundred pound cat that may be hungry?
      May have already that night tasted human blood.
      Some people have no common sense.

      Report Post »  
    • shadow336
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 9:09pm

      I don’t see a way to make an original comment so I will just post with the comment I agree with the most. I am amazed that these animals were basically hunted down in the fashion they were. It seems like a knee jerk reaction during a panic induced situation.
      I could care less what Jack Hanna has to say, each animal should have been dealt with individually. Not shot on site!
      I understand that this was a potentially detrimental situation to this community. However they were able to secure the residents and post advisories. This gave them some time, I have yet to read the death count. I surely hope the monkeys, giraffes and non violent animals were spared at least.
      To me it is so sad that this man was irrational in his thinking towards the animals he obviously cared a lot about, but then again he was not in his right state of mind. So sad to think if his beloved animals would surely die in this way I am sure he would not have done what he did.

      Report Post »  
    • Mil Mom
      Posted on October 21, 2011 at 1:00am

      @PApeacemaker
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:31pm
      Your a straight moron! They could have been tranqed & been taken to another animal habitat or zoo esp. the Bengal tiger there rare & endangered. An NO im not a supporter of PETA I just dont think you go around slaughtering innocent animals who in all likely hood were used to humans & wouldnt just go kill people. This sheriff needs to be FIRED for his idiotic decisions. All they had to do was call in the local wild life authorities & get them captured alive
      ***
      I listened to the reports all evening and all day yesterday. They got the call 1 hr before sundown, with an apartment complex a half mile away and a school (with kids in afterschool activities) 1 mile away. 1 got hit crossing the interstate, and many were either outside or about to go outside the fence. With that kind of time frame, there wasn’t time to call in experts, and by the next day, they’d have been hungry. Imagine the kid who hasn’t heard about it on the radio, getting up in the morning to walk his dog before school, or put her kitty out, and their is a mountain lion, leapard or bengal tiger looking at that pet as lunch. What kid isn’t going to pick something up and attack it, (Many a woman also) It could have been a disaster if they’d have been left roam because most of them are nocturnal animals and could have gotten miles in any direction.

      Report Post » Mil Mom  
  • bunnybeads
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:39pm

    I feel so bad for the animals. I don’t know the situation at this place, but often these animals live at these preserves because some idiot thought it would be cool to have a pet tiger or whatever. When they get “a little too big” for their apartment, the type places will take them in. Often, they can’t release them back into the wild for various reasons. I understand that having those animals running loose was extremely dangerous; it just seems like they could have tried harder to catch them and not just shoot them.

    Report Post » bunnybeads  
    • loadingmyclips
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:13pm

      redneck fun,it begins with a gun!

      Report Post » loadingmyclips  
    • PApeacemaker
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:37pm

      I agree very sad & moronic decisions by the local police they need to be held accountable for there actions. I could see if 1 of these animals attacked someone THEN & only then should that animal have been terminated but NONE even attempted to hurt anyone. Esp. the black bears they NEVER attack people unless there cubs are in danger, as for the killing of the Bengal Tiger this hillbilly sheriff needs to be charged for killing an endangered species. He prolly got his boys together & thought “hell we’ll have us an exotic animal hunt right here in our own county for free”. He better not be haled as some hero either, his a heartless animal & maybe if he escapes from his house we’ll hunt him down & see how he likes it that POS.

      Report Post » PApeacemaker  
    • Mil Mom
      Posted on October 21, 2011 at 1:20am

      @PApeacemaker
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:37pm
      I agree very sad & moronic decisions by the local police they need to be held accountable for there actions. I could see if 1 of these animals attacked someone THEN & only then should that animal have been terminated but NONE even attempted to hurt anyone. Esp. the black bears they NEVER attack people unless there cubs are in danger, as for the killing of the Bengal Tiger this hillbilly sheriff needs to be charged for killing an endangered species. He prolly got his boys together & thought “hell we’ll have us an exotic animal hunt right here in our own county for free”. He better not be haled as some hero either, his a heartless animal & maybe if he escapes from his house we’ll hunt him down & see how he likes it that POS
      ****
      I heard him give updates every 1/2 hr. after the call came in, HE DEFINITELY WAS NOT ENJOYING THIS. They said, one officer actually did get close enough to a bengal tiger to use a tranquilizer gun, but they don’t take effect immediately and it escaped from them before they could tell if it was even a hit until after someone found it and put it down, it was becoming very dangerous. Again, there was an apartment complex 1/2 mi away and kids at afterschool activities 1 mile away. These animals can travel a very long distance in 1 night, (they couldn’t have locked the whole state down.) It‘s doubtful they’d have all travelled in the same direction. They did what they had to.

      Report Post » Mil Mom  
  • Retiredcop1
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:35pm

    I hope some of you are having fun making fun of this situation. Unfortunately, real people were in danger because of real wild animals that don’t belong in Ohio, roaming around free because of a nut job that lets them all out of cages, then kills himself. Too bad he didn’t just kill himself and leave the animals be, maybe to be taken to a zoo. Anyway, it wasn’t fun for the people near Zanesville, and certainly not for the officers that responded.

    Report Post »  
    • PApeacemaker
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:41pm

      No one was in danger…what do u think these animals were just going to open peoples doors an walk in there house & attack them? They were told to stay inside & not go out & most these animals were used to people they werent some wild animal fresh from the jungle having to hunt & kill there meals. People brought them there food so they dont bite the hands that feed them. Get a clue

      Report Post » PApeacemaker  
    • lfdibble
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:23pm

      PA what a moron! Obviously people were in danger if they went outside their home at night. I go out often in the evening after dark to check on my animals. Animals that have been in captivity and then released could most certainly be dangerous when out of their normal element.

      Report Post » lfdibble  
    • Archtard
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 7:19pm

      @PAPEACEMAKER

      Your spelling and sencence structure makes me just as sad as the killing of these animals.

      Report Post »  
    • 312
      Posted on October 20, 2011 at 3:57am

      I agree with RETIREDCOP1, read up on Bengal Tigers and what they do and eat,if they (and there were 18 tigers here, not to mention the other cats) were in your neighborhood would you put your child or yourself outside? Last time I checked there is NO place in the USA that tigers & lions are indigenous species. But you could go out and pet the nice hungry kitty since they were last fed days ago, and they eat 40 to 80 lbs of meat a day. Check your facts on big cats. Who would you call first if you saw a tiger or lion in your yard? If those cats were in your backyard and attacked your family member,would you sue the police for NOT shooting them before the attack.

      Report Post »  
  • objectivetruth
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:34pm

    Why didn’t anyone ask the local residents that were animal owners lovers to help catch them?Chiefly by leaving out food spiked with tranqulizer?If they were raised in captivity then some of them might have attempted to associate with people.I know don‘t say it they didn’t have a choice.Maybe this can be a wake up call for them, though.I have to keep remembering ,not everyone was raised in the middle of nowhere, where animals of all makes and sizes are a part of life.

    Report Post »  
    • motonutt
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 8:50pm

      Yea right……If you have a bangle tiger somewhere in your front yard and you had a choice of killing it or hoping it may find the bait and eat it laced with drugs, then hope you find the animal after it crawls off……which would you choose? In the mean time that cat could come through your front door and have you for supper prior to the bait. If Jack Hannah was for killing, killing is what should have been done. He knew the gravity of the situation. I repect the guy for that, cause you know it must have torn his heart out to kill all those animals. But he did what was right to protect human life above the animals, unlike most liberals who put animal life above human life.

      Report Post » motonutt  
    • objectivetruth
      Posted on October 20, 2011 at 11:18am

      @Motonuff
      I’m not one of those liberals.I realize the situation needed what was called for.I‘m angry that the owner didn’t bother to do the morally correct thing.Find them homes before his planned demise.
      Look I’m not afraid of animals.I grew up in the middle of nowhere.Bengal tiger cougar.Both will eat people if unfed and desparate.If neither one of these scenarios are a issue, they both will leave man kind alone.Well there is one other reason[ the worst of all] they have rabies or could have rabies.Which might be the real reason why it was done.Like some other posters said theres something missing about this story.I believe that may be it.

      Report Post »  
    • motonutt
      Posted on October 20, 2011 at 12:11pm

      @OBJECTIVETRUTH…..There is a big differance between a mountain lion (couger) and a bengal tiger or a grizzly bear, about 400 lbs. worth. That can come through your door or window, a couger can’t.
      I do understand your point though. This guy was a nut and shoud have been addressed prior to this incident.

      Report Post » motonutt  
  • vahunters
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:33pm

    Sadly, killing these animals was the best future for them versus spending a life sentence in filth and close confinement for someones selfish pleasure.
    I hope they outlaw the keeping of wild animals that are not being rehabilited to release back into the wild.

    Report Post »  
  • chevy65
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:28pm

    Why is it that most all these 911 people sound like their daft? They can seldom understand directions etc. [ did you say west? duh ] yah west, like opposite of east! duh

    Report Post »  
    • qpwillie
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:37pm

      It’s a requirement for the job.

      WANTED 911 DISPATCHER
      18 to 25 years old. No experience necessary.
      Must be an idiot..

      Report Post » qpwillie  
  • KINGRUDDY
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:28pm

    Watch out, the President will claim these new jobs created, lion hunter, bear hunter, dear hunter, etc. Great job, Mr. Curious George!
    Wake uo America!!!!

    Report Post » KINGRUDDY  
  • TADTAD
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:16pm

    I don’t know about welding a gun, vice wielding a gun, but here ya go:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhxqIITtTtU

    Report Post » TADTAD  
  • Docrow
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:14pm

    Anybody want to play Jumanji?

    Report Post » Docrow  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:21pm

      That was a funny movie, and yet so realistic-like.

      Report Post »  
  • WVBeagleMom
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:13pm

    Sad for the animals but I am thankful for all the first responders that keep us safe.

    Report Post »  
    • Toxic Pirate
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:31pm

      Whatever there so over rated

      Report Post » Toxic Pirate  
    • BelievinginAmerica
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:27pm

      Toxic Pirate,I’d like to be there when your house is on fire or your in a bad accident. I’d like to see when your vehicle rolls over with you trapped inside, and a flame is about to explode your gas tank, and then tell a 1st responder that THEIR (for your spelling purpose) over rated!

      I’m not so rude as to tell you what I really think of all the idiots that think that no one would have gotten hurt without killing those animals. Thank God for all the experts on here. If you lived there I‘m sure anyone with a child wouldn’t have wanted a WILD animal running loose.

      Report Post » BelievinginAmerica  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:13pm

    Do you know how you can tell if someone on death row in prison is truly a beast? Because if they are not a beast their own spirit will kill their own human body even internally, so their spirit can get away.

    Report Post »  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:12pm

    Jumanji!

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • qpwillie
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:09pm

    LOL! “A jaguar or a wolf”.
    There’s not much similarity between a jaguar and a wolf. Are you sure it isn’t a camel?

    Report Post » qpwillie  
    • commonsenseguy
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:15pm

      i though i saw a putty cat ,or was it a putty bird,

      Report Post »  
    • commonsenseguy
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:16pm

      o my bad, i forgot you have a parrot , okay,maybe it was a dog, i don’t know what was.

      Report Post »  
    • the wireworker
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 7:35pm

      wait we have a monkey in the white house, errr no, we have a jaquar, errr nope again we have a wolf in sheeps clothing

      Report Post » the wireworker  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:09pm

    The beast so badly would like to get into heaven that the beast is going so far as to make it’s own cloaking technology, and also to cause stumbling blocks to those who really do have their veil lifted.

    Report Post »  
  • Airplaneguy
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:00pm

    Lions, tigers and bears, O MY!
    Sorry I had to.

    Report Post »  
    • copatriots
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:47pm

      Right there with ya, AIR. But I’m going with…..

      In the jungle, the mighty Ohio jungle, the lion sleeps tonight. aweemawap, aweemawap

      Report Post »  
  • PurrrpleMtnMajesty
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:59pm

    I don’t believe this story. My gut instinct tells me something doesn’t add up.
    I think there was foul play involved that’s being covered up.

    Report Post »  
    • duek
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:44pm

      I live 1/2 hour from there. Easy to believe. Man loses mind, opens most cages and shoots himself in his own driveway before he gets eaten. Deputies show up on property with wild animals running everywhere. I mean complete pandemonium on this property. Horses being chased inside perimeter. Some lions and tigers outside of last fencing. 18 tigers, 15 lions, couple bears and assorted others. Why he did it is the only question

      Report Post »  
    • PurrrpleMtnMajesty
      Posted on October 20, 2011 at 11:05pm

      Duek,
      What doesn’t ring true is IF these animals were mistreated or neglected and unfed (various news reports),
      they would have eaten him. They mostly were carnivorous and they could have eaten around the bullet.
      Fresh blood to a hungry animal is a meal. They didn’t touch his remains.
      Weird.
      I think he pissed someone off who set this up.
      Sad for the animals, but glad they will no longer suffer and no humans were injured.

      Report Post »  
  • Rational Man
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:57pm

    The guy killed himself AND his animals.
    Cop’s duty is to “PROTECT and serve”.
    If the cops played to the animal rights folks and someone got injured or killed, it would be worse and others would complain that they didn’t do their duty to protect the public.
    Seems like the cops just can’t win, no matter what they do!

    Report Post » Rational Man  
  • Islamislame
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:55pm

    Barbecue, anyone?

    Report Post »  
  • Meyvn
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:51pm

    Let them be fruitful and multiply.

    Report Post » Meyvn  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:50pm

    They saw a wolf, but did they see an Angel? No of course not, because you have to open your other eyes.

    Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:52pm

      Sometimes people accidentally stumble upon opening their eyes, and they call them UFO’s.

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:54pm

      And then, there are the false claims of UFO’s and some of these are deliberate stumbling blocks for the people whom really do see them.

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:58pm

      This event is called “Having the veil lifted” and you see things.

      Report Post »  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:08pm

      I hope they were able to save the tigers. There are so few of them left in the wild, it would be a shame to have to kill them. Lions, next. There are plenty of bears and monkeys.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:09pm

      @Eliasim
      May I mambo dogface to the banana patch?

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:18pm

      Well that depends on you because we have all judged ourselves.

      Report Post »  
    • jens63
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:59pm

      @Anonymous T. Can we mambo together, love it! I was wondering when someone would reply….

      Report Post »  
    • 4truth2all
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 5:42pm

      Somebody should check the churches, wolfs seem to like it there, especially if you see an empty hanger….where the sheep skins hang.

      Report Post »  
  • TheBeezKnow
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:48pm

    It is a shame. I know they need to be rounded up for safety but it’s sad these beautiful animals have to be killed.

    Report Post » TheBeezKnow  
    • RightUnite
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:56pm

      It is very sad…..

      Report Post »  
    • capecodsully
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:24pm

      If this guy was prosecuted for cruelty to animals before, all of the animals should have been removed from his property long ago. This tragedy did not have to happen.

      Report Post »  
  • Caeleach
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:48pm

    Like Jack Hanna, I am an animal lover.

    I cannot see that there was any choice but to put the animals down.

    The shame is that these animals were being held in captivity, in the first place.

    18 Bengal Tigers, exported to the wild would have dramatically increased the Bengal Tiger population.

    Apparently, these animals have been held in poor conditions and were ill. It’s just a shame.

    Report Post » Caeleach  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:01pm

      Isn’t it funny how some people claim they are animal lovers, and yet they keep animals captive?

      Report Post »  
    • supernova1025
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 4:35pm

      He was a convicted animal abuser. He already had a record so why was he even allowed to have these animals. Most states require a liscence to own exotics. Where was his and why did he have one(if he did) when he was already convicted of animal cruelty????

      Report Post »  
    • mr.goodvibe
      Posted on October 19, 2011 at 6:04pm

      Eli, maybe he loved them in a different way?

      Report Post » mr.goodvibe  
  • Elena2010
    Posted on October 19, 2011 at 3:44pm

    Such a shame!

    Report Post » Elena2010  
1 2 3

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love