Exotic Animal Owner, Mauled To Death By 661 Pound Pet Tiger

[n2doc]

A 66-year-old Canadian man has been killed by the 650-pound Siberian tiger he had been keeping as a pet.

Norman Buwalda was entering the tiger's cage to feed it when he was mauled to death on Sunday. A police spokesman, PC Troy Carlson, said "We don't know what prompted the attack at this time, because there were no witnesses."

According to reports, Buwalda was found by a family member, who was able to separate the animal into another area of the cage while waiting for an ambulance.

The animals in Buwalda's house were well known in the community, and many feared them as dangerous. In June 2004, a 10-year-old boy was attacked by a Siberian tiger on Buwalda's property after taking photos of the animal for a school project.

Nicole Balogh, a neighbor with two small children, was one of many people who had fought to remove the animals.

"We were always concerned that he was just not diligent as to the dangers or being responsible for animals of that kind," she told The Canadian Press. "You just don't take children in and flash pictures at animals."

However, Buwalda, who was chairman of the Canadian Exotic Animal Owner's Association, never faced any charges, as he was legally entitled to own the animals, despite his neighbors' fear and earlier incidents.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/10/norman-buwalda-exotic-ani_n_418032.html

[T Wolf]

1. Wild animals should be IN THE WILD. Or, at least, protected from humans. Keepiong species

like this "as pets" is simple arrogance and greed.

[Last Stand]

9. Wanda Sykes had it right when Roy got attacked by a tiger in Vegas.

She said that "reports indicated that the animal was disoriented.

It was in a casino. The tiger was in a casino."

[blondeatlast]

21. Perfect. Just perfect. Funny/sad/true. nt

[FarCenter]

2. Apparently failed on the first point number 2

http://canadianexoticanimals.ca/aboutus.html

[Last Stand]

3. "We don't know what prompted the attack at this time"

Hunger pangs. Wild animal with hunger pangs. Get it?

[MidwestTransplant]

5. One day, the Tiger was bound to wake up as a Tiger.

[Crabby Appleton]

4. Bad kitty!

[kenny blankenship]

6. My concern is that nothing happen to the tiger

Mr. Buwalda was a foolish man who paid the price for his foolishness.
I hope the tiger was removed to a competent & adequately funded big cat sanctuary, and not "destroyed".

[Warpy]

7. Duh, maybe restricting an animal that typically roams

over a large fixed territory to a cage had something to do with it.

He should have thought about the consequences of spending his own life in a Supermax. Maybe he'd have had a little more compassion for his pet.

In any case, you can't blame the tiger for acting like a tiger. I hope the animal goes to a zoo that's prepared for big cats instead of being destroyed, but I don't hold out much hope. Someone will want revenge for the death of a stupid human.

[Stevenmarc]

8. In related story The Canadian Exotic Animal Owner's Association holds election for a new Chairman

[superduperfarleft]

10. Breaking news: Tiger acts like a tiger is supposed to. n/t

[FarCenter]

11. "exotic animal owner" -- it's what's for dinner

[slampoet]

12. What is it where reporters don't feel they need to tell you WHERE something happened anymore?????

I had to click twice back to where the Huff post got the info to find out this was in SOUTHWOLD, Ont.

[SoCalDem]

13. A "pet" should not weigh 661 lbs.

Wild animals should not be pets..no matter what they weigh, but especially large carnivorous ones should not be pets

[FarCenter]

16. Horse lovers might disagree!

[dustbunnie]

14. Score one for "Richard Parker." Hope he gets moved to a good home.

It seems like there's a good chance since the man has no family or children. He likely stipulated something in his will.

[kestrel91316]

15. Darwin Award, for sure. Tigers are wild animals, NOT pets.

[CanonRay]

18. I second the nomination

All in favor?

[Vinnie From Indy]

17. "I smell chicken, I smell liver, Little Friskies Please Deliver"

I guess the Tiger really wanted a hot meal this time.

While I have always wanted a penguin for a pet, I would never get one and if I did nobody should mourn me if I get pecked to death trying to feed it.

[Beetwasher]

19. Well, He Did Want To Feed It! Mission Accomplished!

sorry if I don't feel bad for these idiots who keep tigers as pets.

[daleo]

20. I saw a tiger in a cage at the Duluth zoo, circa 1988

It was a sad sight.

[benld74]

22. AND I complain about cleaning a 2 CAT litter box!