The investigation into the escape of a tiger from a private enclosure belonging to a former circus performer near Leipzig is ongoing. The assistant who was seriously injured during the escape nearly five weeks ago is still unable to be questioned, a spokesperson for the Leipzig Public Prosecutor’s Office said in response to an inquiry.
In mid-May, a full-grown male tiger escaped from the enclosure in an industrial park in Dölzig near Highway 9. A 72-year-old assistant to the artist was seriously injured in the incident. Police shot and killed the big cat just a few meters away from an allotment garden complex. The public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into negligent bodily injury by omission.
The Saxon Ministry of Social Affairs stated in response to an inquiry from the Left Party faction that the tiger facility had been inspected at least once a year in the past by the North Saxony Food Safety and Veterinary Office. The deficiencies identified during these inspections consistently related to insufficient space for the tigers.