Amateur Zoos and Premises Liability
The zoological park, or zoo, is an invention of the Victorian era, where the public can see wild animals native to faraway lands up close. The days of surly lions in cages are long gone. Today’s zoos emphasize to visitors the importance of wildlife conservation; some of their proceeds go to protect the natural habitats of the wild kin of their animal inhabitants. The enclosures are also carefully designed to feel like home for the creatures. Therefore, human visitors cannot get close to zoo residents, except if they are on the opposite side of a thick pane of glass or a similar material. Meanwhile, zoos are far from the only place where people can go to get a close look at animals other than their own pets. Petting zoos, wildlife safari adventures, and similar attractions offer people the chance to see animals up close. Laws regulate the ownership and exhibition of wild animals, but even if the business owns the animals legally, premises liability laws protect customers who get injured. If you got attacked by an animal at a business where customers pay to get within attacking distance of animals, contact a Fort Lauderdale premises liability lawyer.
Leopard Bites Guest at Backyard Zoo in Davie
Black panthers are majestic looking creatures. A black panther is just an ordinary leopard, except with a genetic phenotype that makes it black with black spots instead of yellow with black spots; leopards can have different hair colors, just like humans, dogs, or housecats can. If you have ever been to South Florida, it will not surprise you that someone in Davie just had to have one. It also will not surprise you that he kept it in his backyard, like other people in Davie keep their above ground swimming pools, improvised wrestling rings, pet iguanas, and who knows what else. Furthermore, if you were in South Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic, you will know that everyone in the Sunshine State went stir crazy, binge watched Tiger King, or both, so it makes perfect sense that, by the fall, people were ready to pay admission to someone’s unregulated backyard zoo to catch a glimpse of a melanistic leopard.
You can probably also guess that, eventually, the leopard had had enough of its 15 minutes of fame. It pounced on a guest, bit him, and scratched him. The man survived, but he suffered serious injuries. News reports did not publish the name of the man who got injured or the name or address of the person that owned the leopard. They also did not give details about whether the owner had a permit to keep the leopard and, if so, whether its enclosure was in compliance with legal regulations. The injured man has the right to sue for premises liability, but there are no published reports saying that he did so.
Set Up a Consultation Today
A personal injury lawyer can help you get justice in a premises liability claim involving an unregulated zoo. Contact Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale, Florida or call 954-566-9919 to explore your potential recovery options today.
Source:
sun-sentinel.com/pets/sns-leopard-mauls-man-in-davie-backyard-zoo-20201029-nulso6vmvzbajknoycqun4apfu-story.html
