It’s a pretty slow day in TV news, so I’d like to turn your attention to the story that’s all over the Internet today: the Zanesville, Ohio residence of Terry Thompson, who last night released dozens of exotic wild animals from the cages on his property and then shot himself. Because the animals included dangerous animals like grizzly and black bears, lions, tigers, and leopards, schools canceled classes and the postal service limited its delivery today.
The most recent update says that only two of the estimated 51 animals (a monkey and a wolf) are unaccounted for; most were shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies, although a spokesman claimed that tranquilizers were used when possible. Oh, and then there’s this, proof that Ohio is the Ohio-est state in the nation:
Ohio has some of the nation’s weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them.
By the way, I’ve been to this real-life Cougar Town. A girl I dated about ten years ago was from southeastern Ohio, and her mother and brother lived in Zanesville. She went to college in Minnesota, then she moved to Europe and has lived there ever since. I like to think that Ohio was a bigger impetus for that than I was.
More importantly, in a Warming Glow exclusive, I’ve obtained the first photo of the grizzly that was shot:
Watch out, he’s trying to play an O.A.R. song!
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Jumanji!
Nice try Ohio, but the Casey Anthony trial was still a bigger release of wild animals from their cages.
BROhio State Bear is magnificent.
“48 exotic animals, many of them man-eaters, are roaming the countryside”
Watch out boy, they’ll chew you up.
“When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.”
That bear wasn’t a danger to anyone, he just wanted to trade his jersey for tattoos like everyone else.
Was the bear caught masturbating in a library?
This is nothing, wait til you see what we have planned for the election.
I’m sick of these constant bear attacks. It’s like a frickin’ country bear jambaroo around here!
In Ohio. Zanesville, Ohio. The lion sleeps toniiiiiight.
Thank god I live in Indiana, where the bear tax keeps the bears away!
I have a rock that I would sell them to keep the tigers away
and let the bears pay the bear tax, I pay the homer tax
How does your rock work?
A monkey and a wolf are still on the loose…I want to help that monkey and wolf so bad…come after me!
It doesn’t work; it’s just a rock. But you don’t see any tigers around here (unless you live in Zanesville, OH), do you?
A monkey and a wolf are still on the loose…I want to help that monkey and wolf so bad…come after me! I’m a man, I’ m almost 40!
Joey Joe Joe, I’d like to buy your rock
I’ve posted on here once before (detailing turtle trapping in strip mine ponds in south east ohio), and having grown up down there you guys should know this isn’t all that uncommon. You can buy these types of animals at some of the flea markets. The Lucasville flea market (close to the state pen!) is a great place to go. There are some junkyards that have bears prowling at night instead of dogs. No joke. You learn real quick not to steal aluminum.
Someone in Africa just saw this story and threw their TV through the wall of their hut.
Oh My.
The Sheriff plans on spanking that monkey.
/sorry
[blogs.laweekly.com]
While this isn’t wild animal shooting, it still is heartwarming in its own way. Thanks Florida!
@Unexplained Bacon:
Didn’t Paris Hilton get away with this?
Oh, that wasn’t a taco…..
more like zaney-ville!
Anybody have a good recipe for Bengal Tiger?
I feel this puts Ohio ahead of Florida, by the way. Sheriff Buckeye and his trusty deputies running around the countryside shooting dangerous, exotic animals with handguns is spectacular. Jack Hannah rushing to the scene to hog TV time is sublime. Ohio residents calling 911 to report a lion on the corner of Main and Oak cannot be made up. A crazy coot letting the animals loose and killing himself is far superior to anything going on in Florida. I demand a TV movie. What does Nancy Grace have to say?
I see the seeds of a reality “Grilling and Pit Barbecue” show here…..
The monkey on the loose is infested with Herpes B. We’re all screwed. It’s “Outbreak” in OH.
- Katie in Cleveland, OH
So the spanking is a bad idea; they always said it was safe……