We used to have a file at work for newspaper clippings of when our clients went to jail. He was in there several times. We worked on a lot of his cubs even though I protested a lot about keeping big cats as pets. Some were actually house pets. It is sad that the police are shooting them all. It isn’t the animals’ fault. Bears are a native species. They could try letting them go but they probably don’t know how to hunt.

Exotic Animal Owner Found Dead, Animals Loose

I used to play with their male panther when he was cub. I’d turn him loose in the waiting room to play. He wanted to get into the mop bucket all the time but there were strong disinfectants in there. Cubs are much less aggressive than domestic kittens. Kittens will tear you up if you cross them. Cubs talk big but don’t do anything maybe because they know that eventually you will be scared of them. I’d haul him out of the bucket by his scruff and go, “Who’s a vicious widdle panfer?” and kiss his forehead while he was trying to be ferocious. He was their “house cat” and I heard he had a pretty bad attitude as he got older as male panthers are supposed to have. I hope he’s not one of the loose ones that they’ve shot but I’ve always thought that someday he’d attack someone and say, “I’m a vicious widdle panfer, bitch!”