The sleepy town of Zanesville, Ohio became the centre of a media storm in October 2011 when 48 dangerous animals were found roaming a residential area, and shot dead after police realised they could not control the situation.
The animals killed included 18 tigers, 17 lions and 8 bears. All of these creatures belonged to notorious local figure, Terry Thompson, who had amassed a private collection of exotic pets in a state that had minimal restrictions on the ownership of such animals. Thompson was later found dead on his farm, partially eaten by his own tigers.
This film tells the compelling story of this bizarre incident, while exploring the events in Thompson’s past which led up to it. With revealing police radio archive, this is a gripping account of what happened when one man’s obsession with dangerous animals spiralled out of control.
