RACINE, Minn. 鈥� Twenty-four years ago, a 7-year-old girl went to a local animal park with her mother. Little did they know, the events at the park would solidify their daughter鈥檚 place in local and national headlines.
On July 22, 2001, Emily Hartman went to BEARCAT Hollow, an animal park in Racine, Minnesota, that has since been sold.
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Hours into her family鈥檚 afternoon at the park, the 7-year-old was attacked by a 400-pound white Siberian tiger named Como.
The girl and her mother were on a guided tour of the park, led by Nancy Kraft, one of the owners. Kraft brought the group into the 鈥渂ig cat barn,鈥� which normally wasn鈥檛 open to the public.
The 2-year-old tiger managed to knock a pin from the gate that locked him in. The tiger grabbed the girl and carried her several feet, according to previous Post Bulletin reporting. Kraft then forced the tiger to release the girl.
The child received medical treatment for a 1.5-inch bite and torn skin on her back.
The tiger had not been treated for rabies, and the parents would not vaccinate their daughter for rabies.
On July 27, 2001, the parents posted a statement in the Post Bulletin that the media was portraying the issue as though the parents had a choice: to vaccinate their daughter or euthanize the tiger.
鈥淭his is not true,鈥� the Hartmans wrote. 鈥淲e have been told that even if our daughter undergoes rabies vaccination, the state must euthanize this animal and test it for rabies.鈥�
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While some community members flat-out called for the euthanization of the tiger, many rallied around Como in hopes of saving him.
鈥淭he cat will have been destroyed for no reason,鈥� said Christine Chandler, a sanctuary curator who spoke with the Post Bulletin after the incident.
The Minnesota Department of Health ordered that the tiger be euthanized, saying it was a public safety issue.
On July 27, 2001, Como was euthanized.
Como鈥檚 supporters stood outside the barn where the tiger was euthanized and waited for the news. Health officials said it was unlikely that the tiger had rabies.
鈥淚 really hoped he would live,鈥� Brady Barett, a 12-year-old from Harmony, said after discovering the news.
Following the incident, BEARCAT Hollow received more scrutiny.
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In December 2001, a bear cub escaped from the animal park after nudging open a sliding door and going through an unpowered electric fence. The bear damaged the porch of a nearby residence while the family living in the home watched from inside.
A third incident occurred weeks before the bear cub鈥檚 escape, when a Minneapolis man said he encountered three lions while bow hunting on his property in Racine. The then-owners of the animal park denied that the lions were from their facility.
In 2005, Nancy Kraft and her husband sold the animal park after the two were sentenced to prison on charges related to illegally selling endangered animals.
The 41 remaining animals were sent to the in South Dakota.
The Trust Project
