Police: Tiger Bites Drunken Fair Worker Trying To 'Communicate' With Animal
POSTED: Monday, March 20, 2006
UPDATED: 3:43 pm EST March 20,2006
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- A Florida fair worker was hospitalized Sunday after he put his hand into a tiger cage at the Putnam County Fair in an apparent attempt to "communicate" with the animal, Local 6 News reported.
IMAGES: More strange stories, images
Jason Wayne Hardin, 25, of Westville, stuck his arm into the tiger's cage about 2:25 a.m. Sunday, said Major Keith Riddick of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.Hardin told wildlife officers that he was putting up fencing at the fair when he decided to "communicate" with the animal, Local 6 News reported.The white tiger bit the man and severed a tendon in Hardin's arm.He was taken to the Putnam County Hospital and then flown to Shands at the University of Florida, where he was treated and released for severed tendons in his forearm, said Kat Kelley, a spokeswoman for the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission."This was strictly human error and poor judgment," she said. "These are wild animals, and no matter how tame they are, they're still animals."Deputies said blood alcohol tests at the hospital confirmed that Hardin was drunk when he was bitten by the tiger, Local 6 News reported Monday.Florida Wildlife officials inspected the exhibit and ruled it to be safe.Under state safety requirements, there must be a certain distance between the animals' cages and a perimeter fence around them, Kelley said.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Copyright 2007 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
IMAGES: More strange stories, images Jason Wayne Hardin, 25, of Westville, stuck his arm into the tiger's cage about 2:25 a.m. Sunday, said Major Keith Riddick of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.Hardin told wildlife officers that he was putting up fencing at the fair when he decided to "communicate" with the animal, Local 6 News reported.The white tiger bit the man and severed a tendon in Hardin's arm.He was taken to the Putnam County Hospital and then flown to Shands at the University of Florida, where he was treated and released for severed tendons in his forearm, said Kat Kelley, a spokeswoman for the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission."This was strictly human error and poor judgment," she said. "These are wild animals, and no matter how tame they are, they're still animals."Deputies said blood alcohol tests at the hospital confirmed that Hardin was drunk when he was bitten by the tiger, Local 6 News reported Monday.Florida Wildlife officials inspected the exhibit and ruled it to be safe.Under state safety requirements, there must be a certain distance between the animals' cages and a perimeter fence around them, Kelley said.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Copyright 2007 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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