Tiger shot dead by German police after escaping enclosure and attacking 72-year-old man
A tiger reportedly owned by the self-styled "Tiger Queen" has been shot dead by German police after the animal escaped and launched an attack on a 72-year-old man.
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The animal, a male tiger, was shot dead by armed police after it attacked the man who was reportedly inside the enclosure at the time of the incident.
Following the attack, the animal is believed to have escaped the enclosure before German authorities "eliminate any further risk to the public".
The enclosure is believed to form part of a site owned by a controversial trainer and private exotic animal owner known as Carmen Zander, also dubbed the "Tiger Queen".
Local media reports the animal was one of eight big cats kept at the industrial complex, located near the German town of Schkeuditz, in in Saxony, Germany.
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In a statement, German police confirmed that officers shot the animal after local police received an emergency call at around 12:50 local time (11:50 BST) on Sunday.
Officers responded to the event, with the animal shot dead.
A spokesperson added that details surrounding the tiger's escape now form part of an ongoing investigation.
According to the Tiger Queen's website, the trainer involved in the attack holds "unforgettable" and "one-of-a-kind" tiger petting events which are open to the public.
The website added that visitors can pay to pet the "250kg powerhouses" at a site located on the outskirts of Leipzig.
District Mayor, Thomas Druskat, has now called for the other animals housed at the site to be relocated.
He told local media that the repercussions of such an escape were "unthinkable" and that many more could have been injured.
Animal rights charity Peta has also called on the German government to to take action following the incident, telling local news outlet Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) that stricter rules need to be enforced when it comes to the possession of privately-owned animals.