Lions, tigers 'on the loose' in Ohio

Authorities in Ohio closed schools and urged residents to stay in their homes as they tried to round up dangerous animals that escaped from a farm after the owner was found dead.

19 October 2011, 12:00am

1 min read

Lions, tigers, cheetahs and grizzly bears were among the 48 animals that ran loose near Zanesville in eastern Ohio. Many of them were shot by authorities after a shoot-to-kill order was issued.

"We're still concerned about animals that are out," Kim Hambel, director of operations for the Muskingham County Sheriff's Department, told CNN on Wednesday.

"We sent a deputy, a wildlife officer and a vet into the property to do a search and recovery. We think we still have 14 to 15 animals unaccounted for."

The owner of the farm, Terry Thompson, was found dead on the ground when authorities went to the farm to check on him yesterday following reports of wild animals running free in the area. The animals' cages had been left open.

An autopsy was scheduled to determine how Thompson died.

Authorities recommended residents stay indoors and said schools would be closed on Wednesday as a precaution.

"These are wild animals that you would see on TV in Africa," Sheriff Matt Lutz told reporters.

Hambel said officers had been to the property several times in recent years in response to complaints.