Owner Of Released Wild Animals 'Was An Unusual Fella' Says The Mayor Of Zanesville
Oct. 19 2011, Published 1:30 p.m. ET
By Breaking Celebrity News Staff
The owner of the 48 wild animals, who reportedly released them from their cages and menageries before killing himself, was well-known by many in the town, and Breaking Celebrity News has new insight into Terry Thompson, the man behind the great escape.
"He was an unusual fella," Zanesville, Ohio Mayor Howard ‘Butch’ Zwelling told Breaking Celebrity News in an exclusive interview. "I thought he had a few exotic animals but I was astonished to find out he had 48.
"I never considered him a menace, but if I'd known that he had that many then I might have thought he was," Zwelling revealed to Breaking Celebrity News.
As Breaking Celebrity News previously reported, Thompson opened the cages and gates of the animals -- including bears, cheetahs, wolves, lions, camels, giraffes and a white Siberian tiger -- prior to giving himself a fatal, self-inflicted wound, police allege, adding they were waiting on the autopsy result.
"He was always very friendly, the last time I saw him was in a local restaurant about 1 1/2 years ago when he was with his wife."
Thompson is thought to be separated from his wife, Marian, a middle school teacher who used to bring monkeys, snakes and owls into school for the children.
Kim Hambel, spokesperson for the Muskingum County Sheriff's office, told Breaking Celebrity News that officers had been called out to the Thompson's property numerous times.
"Since 2005, we’ve been out there 16 times for reports of animals at large, 8 times for animal complaints and three times for animal cruelty," he explained.
Despite all the complaints, Zwelling still believes Thompson cared for them.
"I think he was good to the animals, but I don’t know how in the world he could afford to feed that many."
The mayor went on to say that although many people are calling it a wild preserve, "