Pet tiger in B.C. mauling death euthanized

The pet tiger that killed a woman from 100 Mile House, B.C., was euthanized Saturday by a veterinarian, with the approval of the animal's owner.

On Thursday night, the three-year-old tiger took a fatal swipe at 32-year-old Tanya Dumstrey-Soos at an exotic pet farm owned byher boyfriend. Theanimal first clawed at her dress, then her legs, severinganartery.

Her 14-year-old son and the 15-year-old son of her boyfriend, Kim Carlton, were standing nearby and witnessed the attack.

They tried to stem the bleedingas they waited for nearly an hour for an ambulance to arrive.

The Siberian Magic Farm where the attack took place is located in Bridge Lake and the ambulance had to come from 100 Mile House, 40 kilometres away.

Aaron Denard, who lives in the central B.C. community, said people who knew Dumstrey-Soos are shocked and saddened by what happened.

"Condolences are expressed. Everybody's talking about it," he said. "Everyone's feeling the grief here."

Officials with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said they had tried to seize the animals from Carlton a number of times since 2005, citing animal welfare and safety concerns.

Currently, there are no federal laws against owning exotic animals as pets.

The provincial government has vowed to pass a law further restricting the ownership of exotic animals to prevent other fatal maulings.

B.C. Agriculture Minister Pat Bellsaid he would meet with provincial Environment Minister Barry Penner this week, as well asthe SPCA and Vancouver Humane Society.