What a heart breaker.... Sheriff did what he could do.

Can you imagine those poor deputies last night? Guess they had a lot of wooded area and it started raining and they are out there with lions and tigers.......

From the photo in the Columbus Post-Dispatch, it looks like most of them were shot as they lay in front of their pens.

Probably better to gun them down there than try to chase them through the woods.

What a horrible end for these animals.

I've gotten more used to it with time, but we have the potential to and have had close encounters with moose (daily), black bear (frequent), grizzly (less frequent), wolves (5 times) and wolverine (once). I guess it's part of running through their habitat. My point is I don't think these animals were so dangerous that they had to die really quickly because they were about to go out and start eating everyone in sight. Most animals that were raised in a cage consider that cage their habitat and will not stray. Often, with wild-releases of animals like wolves or lynx into new habitat even wild-raised animals will stick around the cage for a couple days. New habitat is a scary thing for them.

Chimps and orangutans, they would frighten me the most. But even they must have been cold and confused- not on the attack.

Seems like they could have given it 12 hours and let some wildlife biologists or large animal vets come in and humanely tranq the animals.

Sad situation for all.

This is terrible way to get people talking about conservation of endangered species, but maybe some good will come out of it in the long run. Public awareness may mean more support for wildlife groups working to preserve wild populations of the animals.

Tranquilizing becomes so difficult with animals whose weights are unknown and adrenals are stoked. It would seem, with the gravity of the situation, they did what they could and it probably wasn't very easy for them. (I'm sure that their adrenals were pretty stoked as well.)

The SOB who caused it won't get the peace for which he was hoping.

It will be interesting to see what, if any, fall-outs are in store for other sanctuaries from USDA and DEC.

Sharon;
You touched on something very few realize. Rural midwestern law officers are neither equipped with tranq guns and 55 darts NOR HAVE THE TRAINING to calculate and properly deliver the correct dosage. Local zoos are not equipped to take in 55 exotic, carnivorous refugees. Most of the pursuit was in the dark and inclimate weather.
The videos I saw showed deputies who were distraught, yet they are taking a real beating in the media from, who else? PETA pukes. I had to exit the national news sites because of the comments being made by "animal lovers". I love my pets immensely. Sadie is the center of my world, but I DO NOT value her life over that of my neighbor's (unless he is cowardly enough to uncage a disaster and end his troubles with a bullet).
One of the reasons I love this site is because it is made up of intelligent animal lovers with common sense who don't just "proclaim" to be caring for animals.

Kierstan;
12 hours might have allowed one schoolchild at a bus stop to be mauled. You can't have a waiting period when danger is imminent. There is a little difference between Ohio and Alaska, and their exposure to/ tolerance of wildlife

Too bad no one seemed able to help. This will fortify those wanting more regulations over who can own what and where those animals can be kept.
I can't imagine what that place was paying per month in feed.

Virginia is revisiting it's exotic animal statutes, seems they are a little weak on primates.

So it turns out that the loser owner freed the animals and then killed himself - what an unspeakable act of cowardice, may he burn in Hell for what he put those animals through.

Turning the animals loose was no good for them that's for sure! Speaking from experience, I know the owner was not thinking rationally about his own welfare or that of his animals. I find it very sad to see a person get that sick and its worse knowing what happened to his animals and loved ones. The whole thing's just very very sad.