Boy left quadriplegic by big cat attack

[The TRUST]

Family: Boy left quadriplegic by big cat attack





Wednesday, June 29, 2005; Posted: 9:59 a.m. EDT (13:59 GMT)
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (AP) -- A 10-year-old boy who was attacked by a lion and tiger last week suffered a brain injury and severed spinal cord in the mauling -- injuries that have left the child a quadriplegic and dependent on a respirator, his family said Tuesday.

Russell Lala was attacked last Wednesday during a visit with the animals' owner.

"Russell is a fighter and, while he is still in serious condition, he is communicating with us and we see his strong spirit coming through," his parents Nick and Roseanne Lala said in a statement.

The child and his father were visiting body shop owner Chuck Mock, who owns 11 exotic cats and one bear. When Mock opened the cage, the tiger jumped out and attacked the boy. While Mock was pulling the animal away, the lion bit the child.

Along with the brain injury and severed spinal cord, Russell sustained numerous facial fractures, according to the parents' statement. They said he faces a long rehabilitation.

Phone calls Tuesday to Mock's residence went unanswered.

Morrison County Sheriff Michel Wetzel said last week Mock kept the animals as "a novelty."

The lion and the tiger were destroyed last week.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/06/29/lion.attack.ap/index.html

 

[guppy]

Some animals should not be house pets, tigers, lions, leopards, bears, and wolverines all come to mind. I want a pair of servals but that is as big a cat as I would go. While checking out some catteries I found a listing for Caracals that said " while fairly tame these cats should not be left alone with other pets or small children." I don't know why but that cracks me up.

 

[The TRUST]

Wolverines........Hmmmm never thought of that hehehehee

Ratels looks pretty cool too.

 

[guppy]

I saw an animal planet special that called the ratel the "meanest Animal" in africa. Back in the late 70's I read about a guy in N. Dakota who raised a wolverine from a kit until it was 2. The guy missed a couple of days of work and someone went to check on him. The 30 lb. wolverine had killed him and eaten his guts. Oops.

 

[rayman45]

lol

 

[Steve_89]

Crazy.

Shame the animals had to die though.

 

[piranha45]

Some animals should not be house pets, tigers, lions, leopards, bears, and wolverines all come to mind. I want a pair of servals but that is as big a cat as I would go. While checking out some catteries I found a listing for Caracals that said " while fairly tame these cats should not be left alone with other pets or small children." I don't know why but that cracks me up.

what's the diff. between servals and caracals? not very familiar with either but they both seem to just be small spotted wildcats.

 

[guppy]

what's the diff. between servals and caracals? not very familiar with either but they both seem to just be small spotted wildcats.

Servals are 25-30lb spotted cats with long legs and necks and small heads. They hunt small prey like birds and rats, etc. and make loving, family freindly pets. Caracals are 30-40lb brown cats with tufted ears and long teeth. They hunt larger prey by preference, things like baboons and antelope. Both have been sometimes kept since the pyramids were being built, servals as pets and granery guards, caracals as hunting cats. Caracals are pretty hardwired, if an animal up to its own size tries to run away they tend to react like house cat does to a moving string. It is not unusual for them to kill 50lb gazelles.