Bears, Cheetahs, Tigers Escape Preserve, Shut Down Ohio Town

Owner of Private Reserve Found Dead, Animals Being Shot

--Chad Love

If you live in the vicinity of Zanesville, Ohio, you might want to grab your trusty double rifle and your copy of “Use Enough Gun” or maybe “Death in the Long Grass” before you step outside today. You’re gonna need it, Bwana…

From this story on abcnews.com:

_An Ohio town is under lockdown as dozens of wild animals including bears, wolves and tigers have escaped from a private preserve are and are on the loose after the owner of the preserve has been found dead.Terry Thompson of Zanesville, Ohio, was found dead of unknown causes inside the preserve while the animals cages were found unsecured. Thompson, 61, was recently released from prison after serving one year on federal weapons charges. According to investigators he has been cited in the past for animal abuse and neglect. Speaking on “Good Morning America” Wednesday Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said that they will not have a count on how many animals have been killed until daylight arrives in Ohio.
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“Right now we did have [reports of] some sightings overnight,” Lutz told “GMA.” “None were confirmed. At daybreak we’ll go back in and get a body count … we do have tranquillizers on site since this thing started.” Lutz said at a news conference that residents should stay inside until the animals, which escaped around 6 p.m. Tuesday, are rounded up. Several schools across the area have cancelled classes for Wednesday. Police, who have been ordered to shoot to kill, describe the loose animals as “mature, very big and aggressive.”

According to the story, as many as 48 wild animals, including cheetahs, grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, lions, a white Siberian tiger, camels and giraffes are on the loose in and around the town of 25,000. Authorities have shot as many as 25 of the animals so far, including bears and wolves, but they don’t know how many animals have escaped or where they may be.

“This is a bad situation,” Mutz said._

I’ll say, but it does beg the question: If you were in this situation, what gun would you grab? And no cheating, you can only choose guns you actually own. I’d use my trusty Westley Richards .470 Nitro Express double rifle, just like Ruark. Of course I have one, I wouldn’t lie to you. Doesn’t everyone?