Escaped Circus Tiger Shot And Killed By Police In Atlanta, And PETA Is Angry

The tiger first sent residents into a frenzy at about 6 am local time. Authorities received at least two 911 calls from people who spotted her near the ramp from I-75 North to Jodeco Road and near a home in the area, Henry police Capt. Joey Smith said.  Police officers later found the big cat and alerted animal control officials.

“Unfortunately, it jumped a fence and went after a dog back behind one of the residences here,” Smith said. “And the officers had to use some force to put the tiger down.”  Officers weren’t equipped with tranquilizers and came across the Bengal tiger before animal control authorities arrived, Smith said. “It was large enough to be of great concern to us,” Smith said. The tiger was also “in close proximity to a school bus route in a densely populated area,” Smith said.

“The truck had stopped in Georgia during the overnight hours, and during that stop, the female Bengal tiger managed to escape unnoticed,” The Department of Natural Resources spokesman Mark McKinnon said in a news release. “(The company) discovered that she was missing when the truck arrived at the destination.”  McKinnon said officials found a microchip in the tiger that matched a number for the entertainment company (Feld Entertainment),  which touts itself as “the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences,” according to its website.