Get inked, save surviving Zanesville exotic animals

ZANESVILLE -- Hankering for a new tattoo? One Ohio artist influenced by the recent exotic animal incident in Zanesville might have the perfect cause for you to roll up your sleeve.

Billy White, owner of Yellow Rose Tattoo, has donated more than $1,000 in proceeds from tattoos of lions, tigers, bears, cheetahs and wolves to the Columbus Zoo. He hopes the money can help the six survivors from the Muskingum County Animal Farm--One grizzly bear, 3 leopards and 2 monkeys--live comfortably in their new home.

"When I first heard about it, it was crazy," he told the Detroit Free Press. "I thought, 'What could I do to help in some way?' There's been so much negative attention, so I wanted to focus on something positive, like the rescued animals that were saved."

White inked 18 tattoos and raised about $1,300 by Saturday afternoon. But the idea really took off after posting his pledge on the Yellow Rose Tattoo's Facebook page.

"Everybody's come together for this, whether they're excited about getting a new tattoo or just donating money," he said.

The tattoo artists originally planned for the fundraiser to last only four days, but he told the Free Press he may continue the project indefinitely.

"A lot of benefit can come from this, and I hope it's driven in a positive way for awareness," he said. "I want to thank everybody who's helped and went the extra mile to do something selfless."

Police shot 48 animals to death during the escape, including 18 rare Bengal tigers, 17 lions and eight bears. While no one can say why 62-year-old Terry Thompson, owner of the exotic animal farm, decided to free his animals and commit suicide, his estranged sister told media outlets that his finances overwhelmed him to the point of no return.

http://www.northwestohio.com/news/story.aspx?id=678130