December 12, 1999 Van Nuys, CA A Los Angeles Zoo volunteer died after her “pet” Gabon viper bit her. The woman kept 12 snakes, 10 of them dangerous, and 6 flesh-eating piranha fish at her home. She was found with two puncture wounds on the back of her hand. The viper has the longest fangs of any snake, according to Los Angeles Zoo officials. Reptiles
July 6, 1999 Orlando, FL An employee at SeaWorld Orlando found a 27 year old man dead and naked on the back of a killer whale, Tillikum. The man apparently snuck in after dark and got in the pool with Tillikum and drowned. This same orca was involved in a death of a trainer in 1991 at the Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia and again in 2010. Marine
June 6, 1999 New Castle County, DE A 45-year-old man was found dead in his apartment from an apparent rattlesnake bite from one of his 15 “pet” snakes. The man was found 10 feet from an open, empty snake tank. The man had been feeding the animal when he was bitten. Animal Control officers removed from the man’s apartment 8 rattlesnakes, 2 king cobras, 2 corn snakes, a desert snake, and two others that were not identified. Reptiles
June 2, 1999 Yorktown, TX A male tiger jumped on a 10-year-old girl who entered the cage with her stepfather to groom the animal. The girl was dragged through the cage and died of head and neck injuries. The stepfather took the tiger to exotic animal shows and had applied for a USDA exhibitor license at the time of the attack. Big Cats
January 7, 1999 Phoenix, AZ A Phoenix man was bitten to death by his “pet” rattlesnake. In addition to the snake, the man possessed several boas and other snakes in the house. Reptiles
November 13, 1998 Gainesville, FL A previously healthy 5-month-old boy died from contracting Salmonella from the family’s “pet” iguana. Reptiles
November 13, 1998 Gainseville, FL Five weeks after kiling his trainer, white Bengal tiger named Jupiter owned by Ron and Joy Holiday’s Cat Dancers kills owner by biting her in the neck while she hand fed him. Big Cats
October 7, 1998 Gainesville, FL A tiger with Ron and Joy Holiday’s Cat Dancers killed his trainer after being startled while being moved from one cage to another. 5 weeks later, same tiger kills owner by biting her neck while hand feeding. Big Cats
May 8, 1997 Gainesville, TX An elephant at the Frank Buck Zoo crushed her handler to death when he entered the animal’s pen to move her to another pen. Elephants
May 7, 1997 Carrollton, PA A 400-lb tiger with Frazen Bros Circus killed his trainer by pouncing on him and dragging him around the ring by his neck in front of 200 kids. Big Cats