Many of us dream of a special bond with an animal, perhaps even an exotic creature from the wild. While these companionship dreams can come true, there’s a chilling flip side. Sometimes, the animals we invite into our lives, whether wild or domestic, can turn unexpectedly. This post explores ten deeply unsettling stories where pets tragically mauled their owners, leading to fatal consequences. These accounts serve as a sobering reminder of the wild instincts that can lie beneath a familiar, furry face.
10. Andre Lumboga: A Fatal Neglect
Andre Lumboga, a man from Indonesia, made a tragic mistake. He left his seven dogs without food or water for two whole weeks while he went on vacation. When he returned, the desperate, starving animals attacked him. The dogs killed their owner and then consumed his remains.
His grim fate only came to light because a neighborhood guard noticed Lumboga’s luggage outside his home but no sign of the man himself. Drawn by a terrible smell, the guard called the police. They discovered a horrific scene: Lumboga’s skull in the kitchen and parts of his body in front of the house. Investigators learned that during their owner’s absence, the seven dogs had also killed and eaten two other dogs. It’s a sad irony that Lumboga was from an area in Indonesia where dog meat is sometimes part of the local diet.
9. Michal Prasek: A Lion’s Deadly Retaliation
In the Czech Republic, Michal Prasek’s unusual hobby of keeping a lion and a lioness for breeding in his backyard ended in tragedy. He housed these magnificent yet dangerous animals in homemade enclosures, which worried local residents and authorities. Despite concerns, little was done to intervene, possibly due to fear of the wild animals.
Prasek faced legal trouble when he was denied permission to build the enclosures and was fined for illegal breeding. However, he resisted authorities, refusing anyone access to his property. This standoff had a fatal conclusion: Prasek was mauled to death by his lion. Following this horrific event, authorities had to euthanize both the lion and the lioness.
8. Terry Vance Garner: Devoured by Farm Hogs
Terry Vance Garner, a farmer in Coos County, Oregon, met a gruesome end on his own farm. One day, he went out to feed his hogs and never came back. Hours later, a family member made a horrifying discovery in the hog enclosure: Garner’s dentures and pieces of his body. Most of his remains had been consumed by the very animals he cared for.
Garner was a Vietnam veteran who found solace on his farm, dedicating himself to raising various animals. There’s a sad twist to his story: a year before his death, a large sow had bitten him after he accidentally stepped on a piglet. He initially decided to put down the aggressive sow but then changed his mind, showing compassion. Ultimately, this compassion didn’t save him from the dangerous nature of his animals.
7. Cynthia Lee Gamble: A Tiger’s Tragic Attack
Cynthia Lee Gamble, from Minnesota, was a passionate wildlife enthusiast. She wrote and edited wildlife documentaries and worked with animals like wolves, coyotes, and foxes for film and television. Tigers held a special place in her heart, and she had kept them on her property for over a decade without incident. She was no stranger to handling wild cats.
However, even her extensive experience couldn’t prevent a fatal mistake. While cleaning a Bengal tiger’s cage, Gamble accidentally left a drop door unsecured. This oversight allowed the tiger to attack her from behind, mauling her to death. It’s a stark reminder that wild animals, no matter how familiar, retain their dangerous instincts.
6. Al Abell: A Forgotten Gate and a Fatal Lion
A moment of forgetfulness during a routine task led to the death of Al Abell. Abell usually cleaned his pet lion’s cage with assistance, but on one fateful day, he was alone at his Illinois farm. He moved his five-year-old African Barbary lion, Simba, whom he had raised from a cub, into a temporary holding pen to clean the main enclosure.
Tragically, Abell left the gate between the main cage and the holding pen open. Simba seized the opportunity, pounced on Abell, and mauled him to death. When Abell’s wife, Kathie, returned home, she found Al missing and Simba agitated outside its enclosure. Terrified, she called the sheriff. Responding officers had to shoot and kill Simba to ensure public safety.
5. Gerald Rushton: Killed by an Exotic Pet Deer
Gerald Rushton, an East Texas man, kept exotic deer on his property, a practice that ultimately cost him his life. He entered the pen of one such animal, a red stag deer, to feed it. The deer, known for its wild nature, became aggressive and attacked Rushton in his own backyard.
Family members witnessed the horrifying attack and quickly alerted authorities, but it was too late to save Rushton. He died from massive blood loss after the deer gored him with its antlers. It was later revealed that Rushton was raising the deer illegally, as permits are not typically issued for keeping red stag deer due to their dangerous temperament. The deer was also euthanized by deputies at the scene.
4. Sandra L. Piovesan: A Pack of Wolf-Dogs Turns Deadly
Sandra L. Piovesan of Salem Township had a passion for breeding wolf-dogs. She kept a pack of nine of these hybrid animals in a pen on her property. One day, her routine visit to the enclosure turned deadly when the animals attacked her, resulting in her death. Tragically, her pets also partially consumed her remains.
Concern arose when Piovesan missed a scheduled meeting. Her daughter contacted Piovesan’s father, who then went to Sandra’s property and made the gruesome discovery. Evidence showed she had been clawed, bitten, and dragged into the enclosure, ultimately bleeding to death. The wolf-dogs, some weighing up to 100 pounds, were several years old. A wildlife expert suggested that the animals might have become agitated due to the season, leading to the aggressive attack.
3. Ricky Weinhold: Ignoring a Bull’s Temperament
Ricky Weinhold from Berks County, Pennsylvania, was fatally attacked by a one-ton bull he raised as a pet. The incident occurred on a farm he leased, about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The tragic irony is that Weinhold had been previously warned by the property owners about the bull’s “temperamental” behavior. They believed the animal had a bad disposition and couldn’t be trusted.
Weinhold kept about ten head of cattle on the farm, all as pets. The summer before his death, the same bull had attacked and injured him, breaking several of his ribs. Despite this clear warning sign, Weinhold continued to keep the animal. His affection for his pets, unfortunately, wasn’t enough to prevent the bull from fatally turning on him.
2. Carl Hulsey: The “Watch” Goat’s Revenge
In rural Cherokee County, Georgia, 77-year-old Carl Hulsey had an unusual idea for protecting his farmland. He was training a goat to be a “watch-goat.” However, his training methods, which reportedly involved frequently beating the goat to make it aggressive, backfired with deadly consequences. The goat he hoped would deter predators ended up killing him.
Instead of protecting Hulsey’s property, the goat turned its aggression on its owner. One day, the goat butted him, then butted him again, causing Hulsey to fall. As Hulsey tried to escape onto his porch, the goat followed, ramming him once more. This final blow caused Hulsey to topple off the porch, leading to his instant death. A coroner later determined he died from blunt trauma to his abdomen.
1. Philemon Mulala: A Footballer’s Shocking End by His Dogs
Philemon Mulala, a 60-year-old retired international footballer from Zambia, experienced a tragic end at the jaws of his own pets. He had raised three dogs from puppies, and likely never imagined they would turn on him. But that’s precisely what happened.
On the day of the incident, Mulala’s wife heard the dogs barking in their backyard. Living on a busy street, she initially wasn’t concerned, as the dogs often barked at passersby and vehicles. However, when she couldn’t find her husband in the house, she searched the garden and found him motionless. To her horror, she discovered that Mulala had been killed by their three beloved dogs. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals later removed the dogs from the home.
Reflections on a Difficult Truth
These ten stories are deeply disturbing, each a stark reminder that animals, no matter how domesticated or familiar, can possess instincts that can lead to tragedy. Whether it’s an exotic pet like a tiger or lion, or a more common animal like a dog or farm hog, the potential for danger is always present. These incidents often involve a moment of oversight, a misunderstanding of an animal’s needs, or simply the unpredictable nature of a creature not fully tamed by human companionship.
They highlight the immense responsibility that comes with pet ownership, especially when dealing with animals that are inherently wild or possess powerful physical capabilities. While the bond between humans and animals can be incredibly rewarding, these accounts urge caution and respect for the animal kingdom’s untamed side.
What are your thoughts on these tragic stories? Do you believe some animals should never be pets? Leave your comment below and share your perspective.
