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Memorial Held For Muskingum Co. Exotic Animal Owner
By: Associated Press
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An Ohio man who set loose dozens of exotic animals and then killed himself has been remembered as kind and complicated by friends who gathered for a memorial.
The Zanesville Times Recorder reports that a roomful of people shared stories about Terry Thompson on Sunday at a Veterans of Foreign Wars post. The tribute also included the blues music that Thompson loved.
He committed suicide Oct. 18 after opening cages on his property near Zanesville in eastern Ohio. Police were forced to kill 48 wild animals, including bears, lions and endangered Bengal tigers.
A veterinarian who knew Thompson for more than 40 years said at Sunday's event that he was "a little more complicated" than most people. Others talked of his compassion and his love for his animals.