An Oregon wild cat sanctuary has hired an investigator to review its safety protocols in the wake of the death of one of its caretakers.
36-year-old Renee Radziwon-Chapman was attacked and killed Saturday night after entering a dark pen at WildCat Haven, where she worked as the head keeper, Sgt. Robert Wurpes of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office told Portland news station KGW.
Rescuers found her remains outside of a lockout cage, which caretakers used to confine large animals when they need to go into the larger enclosure.
The sanctuary wrote a statement released on Tuesday that reported the gate on the cage was "operating properly," and "would have prevented the three cats housed in the main enclosure from returning to the enclosure until released had they all ben secured in the lockout."
WildCat Haven President and Co-Founder Michael Tuller wrote in the statement that the sanctuary had brought in an exotic captive animal programs specialist to take a second look at Haven's safety procedures, in attempts to find out exactly what happened in the enclosure and how Radziwon-Chapman's death could have been avoided.
"It is our deepest wish to honor Renee's memory and respect her family," Tuller stated. "That is why formal investigations, by our organization and others, are essential."
"We'll look at a number of factors," Melanie Mesaros with Oregon OSHA told KGW. "We will talk to employees and potential witnesses, we'll look at any evidence on the scene."
Police suspected that a hose in the cage might have incited the attack that led to the caretaker's death. A police report obtained by KGW indicated that Radziwon-Chapman, who had worked at the sanctuary for years, said that owner Michael Tuller first discovered the deceased lying on the ground and transported her into a different cage to isolate her from the larger cats. The report also stated that the woman sustained serious injuries, and that one of the cougars had blood on its face.
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