August 16, 1998 Syracuse, NY An elephant with the Commerford Petting Zoo giving rides at New York State Fair panicked, injuring her trainer and a 3-year-old child who fell from the back of the animal. Elephants
August 10, 1998 Los Angeles, CA A gray kangaroo hopped out of her enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo for six minutes after the keeper left the gate open. The kangaroo was herded back into the cage. Other
August 5, 1998 West Covina, CA A “pet” chimp, Moe, went on a 3-hour rampage after escaping from his cage. Moe bit four people (two police officers, an Animal Control officer and another person). One of the police officers underwent surgery after an infection developed in his hand as a result of the bite. Primates
August 2, 1998 Los Angeles, CA Gracie, a chimpanzee at the Los Angeles Zoo, found a handhold in the sheer gray rock that surrounded her exhibit. She scaled the wall and got into a planted area, then jumped back into her enclosure after only five minutes. Primates
August 1, 1998 Woodbridge, MD A 16-year-old girl discovered a cobra on her back porch as she was letting the family dog out. The cobra slithered out from under a piece of furniture and hissed and struck at the girl, who escaped into her house. The girl’s mother phoned the police. However, the police failed to dispatch an officer or an animal warden to the scene. The girl’s father killed the cobra. The “owner” was unknown. Reptiles
July 31, 1998 Vallejo, CA A tiger mauled a woman tourist during a photo shoot at Marine World, seriously injuring her and scratching the trainer who came to her aid. Big Cats
July 30, 1998 Dayton, OH A 15-ft-long python was found under a truck parked at Benham’s Caterers and Restaurant. Dayton firefighters were called and placed the python in a trash can. The snake was someone’s “pet.” Since the “owner” was unknown, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton found a man willing to take the snake. Reptiles
July 24, 1998 Bismarck, ND A Bengal tiger with the Bridgeport Nature Center mauled a 5-year-old boy at a North Dakota State Fair photo shoot. Big Cats
July 24, 1998 Nassau, NY A 6-ft-long python was found in a woman’s fishpond. Police captured the snake and placed him in their custody. The “owner” remained unknown. Reptiles
July 10, 1998 Roosevelt, NY An 8-ft-long boa constrictor escaped and was seen slithering down a street in a residential area. Police officers found the snake curled underneath a car. The snake belonged to someone in the neighborhood. The boa constrictor was recaptured and returned to its tank. Reptiles