A volunteer was attacked by a tiger at Carole Baskin’s Huge Cat Rescue

She reached her arm by way of the cage to unclip a second door — breaking protocol, in keeping with the sanctuary — and Kimba grabbed the volunteer’s arm and “practically tore it off on the shoulder,” the Tampa sanctuary mentioned.

One other volunteer heard the assault and ran over, and the tiger launched its grip on the arm. Coworkers tried to cease the bleeding and save the injured volunteer’s arm earlier than an ambulance arrived about 20 minutes later.

Kimba shall be positioned in quarantine for the subsequent 30 days, Huge Cat Rescue mentioned, however “was simply appearing regular because of the presence of meals and alternative.”

The sanctuary mentioned the volunteer, nonetheless aware after the assault, insisted she did not need Kimba to be punished for biting her.

CNN has reached out to Hillsborough County Fireplace Rescue for extra info on the assault and is ready to listen to again. The division instructed CNN affiliate WFTS it responded to the scene and that one particular person was taken to the hospital with “severe accidents.”

The assault occurred the identical week the Home of Representatives plans to vote on the Huge Cat Public Security Act, which might finish the non-public possession of huge cats within the US and the dealing with of younger cubs. Baskin has vocally supported the invoice.

The assault on a Huge Cat Rescue volunteer solely reinforces why the Huge Cat Public Security Act needs to be handed, the sanctuary mentioned in a press release to CNN.

Huge Cat Rescue is residence to over 50 unique cats like tigers, lions, bobcats and extra, lots of which have been rescued from the pet commerce.

Kimba, the tiger that attacked the volunteer, was rescued from a circus in Guatemala, in keeping with the sanctuary.

Huge Cat Rescue and its founder have been profiled within the Netflix docuseries “Tiger King,” although Baskin criticized her portrayal.

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