Search Exotic Incidents Database

A 7-week-old boy nearly died after contracting an intestinal infection from his family’s “pet” iguana. The boy was hospitalized for 12 days. He suffered fever, nausea, and severe diarrhea after becoming infected with Salmonella bacteria. The iguana was later returned to the pet store where it had been purchased.

Four infant girls contracted an intestinal infection from household snakes and iguanas. The four girls were sick in early 1996, but the hospital was only recently able to determine that the illnesses were contracted from reptiles. One of the girls contracted Salmonella gastroenteritis after a “pet” snake was in the family bathtub. Salmonella has killed infants in households where reptiles were “pets.”

An elephant with the Jordan World Circus, frightened by a horse, knocked down and repeatedly kicked her trainer. The elephant was giving rides at the time at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds. One child fell off the elephant during the incident.

A 2-year-old girl escaped serious injury after the family’s 10-ft-long python tried to crush and swallow her. The snake, weighing approximately 40 lbs, wrapped itself around the girl’s neck and had her forearm down its throat and bit her on the arm. The snake had recently eaten the family’s “pet” rabbit. A police investigator removed the snake from the house and killed it.

A chimpanzee at the Long Island Game Farm escaped from his enclosure when the door was left unlocked. The chimp ran through the park, grabbing and scratching children until he was shot to death by a park official.

A “pet” cougar with at least one escape on her record mauled a 7-year-old boy after escaping from her cage.

A “pet” capuchin monkey escaped from his enclosure and roamed the neighborhood. Emergency Service police officers were unable to capture the monkey.

A 6-year-old girl was mauled by a tiger and then injured in a car accident while being rushed to the hospital. The mother of the girl was bitten trying to rescue the girl. The “owner” of the tiger also kept five other tigers and a lion.

Two elephants giving rides from the King Royal Circus were scheduled to race down Highway 473 carrying riders from a local high school. Before the race began, one rider fell off an elephant’s back and suffered two broken ribs and arm and wrist injuries. Trainers moved the elephant away to avoid further injuries. Race continued when another rider volunteered and both riders took turns riding the second elephant.

A “pet” cougar with at least one escape on his record (see 11/01/95) attacked a 5-year-old boy, puncturing and bruising the boy’s hand. The boy and his brother were petting the cougar through the chain-link fence when the cat became aggressive and tried to pull the boy into the cage. County health officials ordered the cougar to be euthanized so it could be tested for rabies.