Muskingum County Animal Farm

The Zanesville animal escape, also known as The Zanesville Massacre, occurred on October 18, 2011, when the owner of Muskingum County Animal Farm in Zanesville, Ohio, released multiple exotic animals before dying by suicide. The Muskingum County Sheriff's Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol subsequently killed 48 of the animals. Additionally, two were presumed eaten by the other animals, and six were captured and relocated to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The event led to widespread media attention and legislative changes regarding exotic animal ownership in Ohio.