In the News
"Tiger killed after fatal attack on B.C. woman; Animal owner used to live here"
(Copyright Abbotsford Times 2007)
A three-year-old male Bengal tiger was euthanized Saturday after the Thursday night death of Tania Dumstrey-Soos, 32, in Bridge Lake, near 100 mile House in B.C.
Dumstrey-Soos was the fiancee of exotic animal owner Kim Carlton, who used to live in Abbotsford with his Siberian tiger, Kisa.
Carlton wasn't home on Thursday night when Dumstrey-Soos, saying "good-night" to Gangus [the tiger], was apparently killed with a single paw swipe that severed a leg artery. Dumstrey-Soos' son, 14, and Carlton's 15-year-old son tried to stem the bleeding while they waited for an ambulance, but Dumstry-Soos was pronounced dead at the hospital.
"The tiger wasn't outside the cage and she wasn't inside it. I guess the structure of the cage allowed it," said 100 Mile House RCMP Cpl. Scott Ksionzyck of the attack, adding the cage was a chain- link enclosure.
According to his website, www.siberianmagic.com, Carlton's zoo includes two other tigers, two lions, a baboon and a ring-tailed lemur. There are no provincial or federal laws regarding ownership of exotic animals - something provincial government representatives have said they intend to fix. Some municipalities regulate exotic animal ownership with bylaws.
In Abbotsford, there are rules regarding ownership of exotic animals under the pound bylaw.
In 2002, when Carlton lived in Abbotsford, he came under media and SPCA fire when he appeared with Kisa at a Burnaby mall.
"I bring enjoyment to many, many people and I bring awareness of animal extinction," Carlton said at the time.
He told the Times he hoped to build an exotic cat refuge.
"I would love to do a sanctuary in Abbotsford, but the way people are receiving me here, forget it," he said.
Abbotsford's consolidated pound bylaw came into effect in 2003.