Britain’s own Tiger King has been rushed to hospital after he was attacked by a big cat in his own sanctuary.
Terrence Moore, 78, was mauled by the 13-stone beast at The Cat Survival Trust in Welwyn, Hertfordshire and then airlifted to hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
A chunk of Moore’s leg was taken by the puma before police were called to the scene at his £3m compound.
He was freed from the cage by officers without the predator being destroyed. Moore was taken to the hospital for life-saving treatment with infection being a worry.
A close friend told the Sun: ‘Even though he is used to them he must have been terrified. It’s a miracle he has survived. That could have gone very, very wrong.
‘He is so careful and methodical – he has been doing this for decades. Perhaps it’s the stress of having to get rid of the cats that has made him slip-up.
‘They are his family. He would have them round the dining table at Christmas as cubs. For him and his wife it will be like giving away their children.’
Moore was targeted at around 4pm on Tuesday, November 5 with an air ambulance being called to the scene.
The animals at the sanctuary are now believed to be in the care of Hertfordshire Zoo, who stepped in to look after the pumas and snow leopards at the centre.
It comes after Moore was found guilty of causing suffering to animals on May 20 – after being dubbed the ‘UK Tiger King’ by one visitor.
The Cat Survival Trust is home to 31 animals, including Bengal cats, jungle cats, leopards and wildcats, although it is not clear if it is currently in operation.
Prosecutor Charles Miskin described the sanctuary during the trial as ‘messy and dirty’ with ‘inadequate or insecure’ housing, and ‘a large number of unvaccinated domestic cats’.
Dead carcasses were also previously found in the freezer.
Moore was convicted of four charges of causing unnecessary suffering of an animal, and seven of using an animal species for commercial gain without licence at St Albans Crown Court.
He was cleared of eight charges of causing unnecessary suffering of an animal and four of using an animal species for commercial gain without a licence.
Moore was handed a £14,000 fine and banned from keeping big cats for selling public visits.
Hertfordshire Police originally visited the site alongside a vet in July 2022, where they found a number of animals suffering from various conditions.
Daily logs kept by volunteers appeared to show no treatment when recording feeding and care.
When they returned in April 2023, they found more than 20 animal carcasses in the freezers – including two animals they had observed during the previous visit.
Post mortems on the bodies found they died from various diseases.
A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said: ‘Police were called to Codicote Road, Welwyn, at 4.04pm on Tuesday 5 November, following reports of a medical emergency.
‘Officers attended the scene alongside colleagues from the ambulance service.
‘The incident involved a man and a big cat that is caged on site.
‘The man, in his 70s, was transported to hospital via air ambulance with serious injuries and has received specialist treatment. He remains in a stable condition.
‘The scene was quickly contained and there is no wider threat to the public.
A spokesperson from East Anglian Air Ambulance, said: ‘Anglia Two, our Cambridge-based helicopter, was tasked to Welwyn to assist the East of England Ambulance Service Trust with a man in his seventies who suffered an accidental injury.