Tiger Attacks, Kills Teen Posing For Senior Pictures

AP ^ | 08/18/05

[Undertow]

Tiger Attacks, Kills Teen Posing For Senior Pictures

POSTED: 6:33 pm EDT August 18, 2005

UPDATED: 6:56 pm EDT August 18, 2005

MOUND VALLEY, Kan. -- A Bengal tiger attacked and killed a teenage girl Thursday at a southeast Kansas animal sanctuary.

Haley Hilderbrand, 17, of Altamont, Kan., was posing with the tiger for her senior high school pictures at the Lost Creek Animal Sanctuary.

A news release from the Labette County Sheriff's Office said the big cat was being restrained by its handler, but it attacked the teenager, anyway.

The 7-year-old tiger was killed.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Nov3]

Okay. Thanks for sharing that with me and the rest of the site.

No problem. It makes me ill to see what has happened to FreeRepublic.

[Erik Latranyi]

I'm not sure if morons are bred or made, but I do know morons exist.

Morons are like idiots....

Remember, if you try to make something idiot-proof, they will just invent better idiots.

[Marguerite]

"The 7-year-old tiger was killed. "

That's a shame. It isn't the tiger's fault those dumb humans forget he's a big cat of prey.
They should have known better, the dumbf..ks.

[kaylar]

I can see a person who was there and witnessed the attack-or the police and paramedics who had to clean up the aftermath-needing a release with gallow's humor. They're traumatized. How exactly are people sitting in front of their computers reading articles going to be so traumatized by what they're reading that they need to make tacky jokes?

[TheForceOfOne]

I remember a story about 10 years ago or more about a family vacationing in Africa out on a safari. The mother or father I don't know which one did it but they held their child outside the vehicle to get a better look at the pretty tigers, and well, the tiger ran up and snatched the baby taking it away in its mouth as the parents just screamed. I saw this on TV but I don't remember the show.

[Nov3]

So how'd the pictures turn out?

Laz, I appreciate good humor more than the next guy. The ludicrousness of life needs to be pointed out to maintain sanity in today's world. I just don't see the humor in that statement.

That being said, I and my children are not playing with any large carnivores.

[Eagles Talon IV]

It is very sad the animal was destroyed. Most likely if the photographer was using a flash, that is the reason for the attack. If an animal becomes frightened and is also restrained as this one was then they will attack. This is true with virtually any animal. If the ability to escape a perceived danger, such as another dog or even a small child running at them to pet them, is taken away then the only recourse left the animal is to attack in order to defend itself.

If any of you are walking your dog and another dog who is loose decides to come over to check you and your dog out, the smart thing to do is to drop the leash unless you can get your dog inside or otherwise physically separated from the other animal (unknown animal I should have specified)

[Sloth]

In a similar vein, my kids are going to have their pictures taken with Michael Jackson.

[softwarecreator]

No problem. It makes me ill to see what has happened to FreeRepublic.

Understandable.  My parents say the same thing about Detroit, and America in general.  Things change, not always for the better.  I know I got sad when my children grew up and were not the "cute little kids" I always think of them as.  Change and growth sucks, huh?

[evets]

Tigers are funny. They make good pets.

When I grow up, I want to play with tigers.

[DOGEY]

Reminds me of Grizzly Man that Treadmont guy.

You mean Timmy Treadwell, the bear whisperer. He became bear scat.

[Sunshine Sister]

Ping!

[Truth29]

"Bull! I'd gladly empty my pistol into its head."

So shoot the owners. The cat was just doing what comes naturally. Sue the owners to correct the behavior.

[spectre]

The reason for the attack is that the girl was straddling atop of the Tiger like riding a horse, when the animal turned it's head to look at her, she then SCREAMED and frightened the Tiger, so he attacked.

The Tiger's owner was a long time friend of her family.

sw

[RckyRaCoCo]

I'm stealing that

LOL!

(I already did from someone here at FR)

[Lazamataz]

How exactly are people sitting in front of their computers reading articles going to be so traumatized by what they're reading that they need to make tacky jokes?

It depends on a person's sensitivity.

I've taken to crying at those sentimental AT&T commercials.

Seriously.

[LibSnubber]

"The tiger should not have been killed." "Bull! I'd gladly empty my pistol into its head. I'm not big on lawsuits, but the owners should be sued for reckless endangerment. This poor little girl necessarily trusted her adult guardians, and their stupidty resulted in her death. Wild animals should not be mixed with humans, especially those who aren't aware of the danger, such as children. Wild animals should be in cages. If I see a dangerous wild animal roaming free I will empty my pistol into its head.

I agree humans and wild animals don't mix. And, while I agree the owners are wide open for a lawsuit, I respectfully disagree with your assumption that this "little girl" was a hapless victim. I'll bet her parents didn't drag her against her will to the tiger. Chances are high it was the "cool" thing to do and her parents stupidly went along with it.

And wild animals should be in the wild, never in cages. I refuse to go to rodeos or the circus because of this. Just my humble two cents...

[Nov3]

This

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1465259/posts

should interest you. The consensus opinion is that the girls were dopehead sluts who deserved to die. Society is better off without them. Some of it is "humorous" too.

Some of the funniest things I have ever read have been on this site. Some of the sickest too. Someone recently posited that these were DU plants trying to make conservatives look bad. I don't know. What I do know is the term "Conservative", derived from "Constitutional Conservative" does not apply to most on this site. It did until 99 or early 2000.

[spiffy]

I remember a story about 10 years ago or more about a family vacationing in Africa out on a safari. The mother or father I don't know which one did it but they held their child outside the vehicle to get a better look at the pretty tigers, and well, the tiger ran up and snatched the baby taking it away in its mouth as the parents just screamed. I saw this on TV but I don't remember the show.

I think I rememebr this story, but I think it was a hyena that grabbed the boy? and snuck away with him. This was a Baltimore family if I remember correctly. There was some discussion around town about the safari guides not having weapons to deal with this kind of incident.