Woman 'Quite Traumatized' by Cheetah Attack, Husband Is Angry - Polidicks

[quote]The woman who was mauled by cheetahs at a South African game preserve said she was "quite traumatized" by the incident. The woman tried to play dead as the two supposedly tame animals bit and clawed her head, stomach and legs. "I just remember … something biting my head and dragging me down," [URL="http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/cheetah-mauls-woman-60th-birthday-trip-133156169--abc-news-topstories.html"]Violet D'Mello[/URL] said in an interview with Caters News Agency. The Scottish woman and her husband, Archibald, had gone to the [URL="http://www.kraggakamma.com/content.asp?pageID=1"]Kragga Kamma Game Park[/URL], a private game reserve in Port Elizabeth, last weekend as part of her 60th birthday celebration. The couple had the chance to pet two brother cheetahs, Mark and Monty. They took pictures with the cheetahs and were still in the petting area when one of the cats grabbed an 8-year-old girl by the leg. Violet D'Mello tried to stop the attack, but when the girl ran to safety, both animals turned on her in a savage attack that lasted for more than three minutes before a guide pushed the animals back with a stick. "We never for one moment thought they would attack," she said, while her husband added, "They said they were extremely tame and one could stroke them." Archibald D'Mello kept taking pictures, documenting the horrific scene as the animals bit and scratched his wife's head, legs and stomach. He kept taking pictures until he realized his wife was being bitten,[URL="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2139442/Violet-DMello-mauled-tame-cheetahs-holiday-safari-park.html"]according to a report in the Daily Mail.[/URL] One of the animals' claws cut the woman's face dangerously close to her right eye. If it had been any closer, she could have lost the eye, he said. " We're very angry about what happened because we were told the situation was safe and it obviously wasn't," he added. "The park said they didn't know what had caused the cheetahs to attack but they shouldn't let tourists in unless they're sure it is safe." His wife took a less forceful position against the facility, saying of the animals, "It was, I think, a playful attack because though they are grown-ups, they think like children." "I was just sort of quite traumatized and I still am but you have to move on and think positive, you know, but I am on the mend," Violet D'Mello said. Park manager Mike Cantor told the Port Elizabeth Herald newspaper that the park had never had any problems with the previously beloved cheetahs. The petting facility was closed to the public while the park investigates the attack. [/quote] the pair in question: [IMG]http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/mlakbk.pnsaFeOfxmvu6Zw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTM1MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/gma/Reuters/ap_South_Africa_violet_d_mello_jt_120505_wmain.jpg[/IMG]

Why would you let people pet cheetahs!?

just noticed that i chose a random title and hit humor. whoops

[quote]the park had never had any problems with the [B]previously beloved[/B] cheetahs[/quote] made me laugh :v:

The park shouldn't have said they were safe, they're wild animals essentially. But then again, what do you expect when you pet cheetahs. Also does anyone else think with some of these stories, that as long as you weren't permanently injured in anyway, that'd it'd just make an awesome story to tell people.

Well, she's taking it well. Not sure why anyone would think petting a Cheetah is a safe thing to do mind you.

[QUOTE=cyclocius;35863585]Well, she's taking it well. Not sure why anyone would think petting a Cheetah is a safe thing to do mind you.[/QUOTE] Not sure why anyone would encourage someone else to pet a cheetah, either.

im so angry at cheetahs [editline]7th May 2012[/editline] im so mad about this cheetah. just thinking about this cheetah is making me really angry

and before the attack [img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/04/article-2139442-12EB7FDA000005DC-777_474x486.jpg[/img]

What sort of parents would let their 8-year-old in amongst two [I]cheetahs?[/I] No matter what the park says, they are still wild animals with instincts. No matter how "tame" you think they are, they are still animals at the end of the day. Glad the woman is okay but the bit about the little girl in there made me rage. I wouldn't let my daughter anywhere near anything like that.

I would've punched the cheetah in the dick and kept punching it until its dick fell off or it couldn't take it anymore and left (nothing likes getting punched in the dick)

[quote] in a savage attack that lasted for more than three minutes before a guide pushed the animals back with a stick[/quote] This is my favourite part. No gun shots in the air to alert anyone and surprise the cheetahs, just a stick. I've been to the animal reserves around this part, any person who lived in that area will tell you how fucking dodgy they are. One park had a wire fence and a gate, that's all. Just a couple of lions in the middle, one of which was chewing a car bumper.

[QUOTE] Archibald D'Mello kept taking pictures, documenting the horrific scene as the animals bit and scratched his wife's head, legs and stomach. He kept taking pictures until he realized his wife was being bitten [/QUOTE] Help I can't breathe, the idiocy is too much.

[QUOTE=shian;35865883]and before the attack [img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/04/article-2139442-12EB7FDA000005DC-777_474x486.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] what the hell, this lady used to be a regular customer in the shop i work at.

[QUOTE=M24;35866616]what the hell, this lady used to be a regular customer in the shop i work at.[/QUOTE] Yeah, she also regularily cleans my shoes.

[QUOTE=loopoo;35865986]No matter what the park says, they are still wild animals with instincts. No matter how "tame" you think they are, they are still animals at the end of the day.[/QUOTE] Obviously nobody here has worked with cheetahs. Compared to other big cats, they are far more friendly and docile. I've volunteered twice a week at the local zoo, and over the past 80 or 90 years, there has never been a recorded attack from a cheetah that resulted in anything more than a minor injury (and these attacks are few and far between). They are very well-trained compared to some dogs I've seen and have no problems with being walked on a leash around the zoo among visitors. They are certainly less aggressive than pit bulls. I'm not sure why this is garnering so much media attention - lion attacks are far more common (yes, some reserves stupidly allow you to pose with a lion), as are tiger attacks in Indian tourist joints. (And, of course, pit bull attacks...)

The saddest part is the husband was taking pictures while his wife was getting mauled. Hello! This is 2012, I want HD video dammit!