I’m sure you’ve heard the terribly sad story of Dawn Brancheau, a trainer with 30 years of experience, being attacked by the whale she trained and drug underwater to her death.  I can’t even imagine how horrifying that must have been for those present.  What a shock and what a tragedy.  She of all people knew the animal well and it surely knew her well.  Her sister said Dawn loved the animals like children.

I love animals, too, but sometimes their behavior reminds us that they are truly that in their nature:  animals.  My dog, Sunny, is timid and sweet but if a little child gets too close or pulls on her she snaps.  That whale had been trained and interacted with people all the time, but it was still a wild animal – still not completely predictable or controllable and knee-deep in the water Dawn was standing a little too close.

If you google “wild animal trainer attack” you’ll get lots of article inks to similar accidents.  Sometimes I’ve read that the animals weren’t really attacking, they were playing.  But when a 350-pound tiger wants to play with a human 1/3 its size, someone is going to get hurt and it won’t be the tiger. Continue reading →