Two white lionesses mauled to death its owner, West Mathewson, 68, a safari lodge owner and a conservationist. The attack happened after he unlocked their gate to take them for a morning walk.
His wife, Gil, 65, tried to distract the lionesses named Tanner and Demi, but the injuries he inflicted were fatal. Mr. Mathewson owns Lion Tree Top Lodge, a safari located near Hoedspruit, about 280 miles from Johannesburg.
In 2017, the lionesses had killed a man working at the neighbor's property after escaping from their paddock. Tehri Fergusson said that a rough play might have caused death. "We will only know why he died when we have the results of the autopsy," she added.
The animals were tranquilized after the attack and were taken to a local endangered species center. The lionesses will then be released back to the wild.
READ: Some Lions Are Living It up During the Worldwide Lockdown, Others Are in Serious Danger
Other Cases of Owner Mauled to Death by their Pets
Despite training and domestication, there are several cases around the world wherein the pets turn against their owners.
Here are some tragic stories of owners mauled to death by their pets:
A Black Bear Killed His Owner While Cleaning the Cage
A family in Allenton, PA, raised a 350-pound black bear teddy since it was a cub. The bear, however, attacked and killed its owner, Kelly Ann Walz, while she was cleaning the bear's cage. The bear must have been upset when she cleaned the cage while Teddy was still in it. The neighbor's children witnessed the incident, and the father had to kill the bear.
A Deer Gored its Owner to Death
Gerald Rushton, a resident of Texas, kept a 500-pound of red stag deer in pen in his backyard. He held the deer as a pet despite laws that say it is illegal (and dangerous) to keep deer in Texas. He tried to domesticate the animal, but the attempt failed as the deer gored him to death.
CHECK THIS OUT: Reverse Zoos: These Wildlife Zoos Allow Caged Humans to Feed Animals
A Burmese Python Strangled a Toddler to Death
Jaren Hare and Charles Darnell had a pet python in 2009. It was placed in a cage that was covered by a quilt. The snake escaped, strangling Hare's two-year-old daughter and killing her.
Animal experts think that the snake was severely underweight and seemed like it had not eaten for a month when it ate the baby. The jury convicted a couple of third-degree murder, manslaughter and child neglect. The couple was also imprisoned for 12 years.
Pet Wolf Dogs Kills Owner
A woman from Pennsylvania had nine half-wolf, half-dog hybrids as pets. She lived alone with the animals. She was found dead with multiple injuries in the animal's cage. The wolf-dogs were put down.
A Pit Viper Bit Its Owner
Alexandria Hall, a resident of Cincinnati, kept a menagerie of reptile in her home died after a highly venomous urutu pit viper bit her. She was able to bring herself to the hospital, but she died a few days later. When the local police and herpetologists entered her home, they found several wild animals and numerous venomous snakes.
READ NEXT: The Trade for Exotic Pets in Australia
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