Muskingum County Animal Farm
Encyclopedia
Muskingum County Animal Farm was a private zoo
located in Zanesville, Ohio
, United States.
The zoo received world-wide attention on October 19, 2011, when dozens of exotic animals were released
from their enclosures. Bear
s, lion
s, tiger
s, and wolves were among those who escaped, and were hunted by local law enforcement out of fear for public safety. The animals were either killed, or captured and taken to the Columbus Zoo
.
The zoo was repeatedly reported for inadequate and unsafe housing for the animals, as well as insufficient water and food.
The owner of the preserve had acted as an animal handler on The Rachael Ray Show in 2008, and provided a lion cub to a photoshoot with Heidi Klum
.
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
located in Zanesville, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States.
The zoo received world-wide attention on October 19, 2011, when dozens of exotic animals were released
2011 Ohio exotic animal release
On October 18, 2011, near the Muskingum County Animal Farm preserve in Zanesville, Ohio, owner Terry Thompson was purported to have set his 56 exotic animals free before committing suicide. Of the 56 exotic animals, 48 were killed by the local police. The animals freed included lions, leopards,...
from their enclosures. Bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s, lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s, tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s, and wolves were among those who escaped, and were hunted by local law enforcement out of fear for public safety. The animals were either killed, or captured and taken to the Columbus Zoo
Columbus Zoo
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a non-profit zoo located in Powell, Ohio , just north of Columbus. The land lies along the eastern banks of the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir on the Scioto River, at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Powell Road...
.
The zoo was repeatedly reported for inadequate and unsafe housing for the animals, as well as insufficient water and food.
The owner of the preserve had acted as an animal handler on The Rachael Ray Show in 2008, and provided a lion cub to a photoshoot with Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum
Heidi Samuel , better known by her birth name Heidi Klum, is a German model, actress, television host, businesswoman, fashion designer, television producer, and occasional singer. In 2008 she became an American citizen while maintaining her native German citizenship...
.