• A tiger escaped from a facility in Schkeuditz, Germany, and attacked a handler.
• Police shot the tiger to protect public safety after it escaped the enclosure.
• The tiger was believed to be owned by Carmen Zander, known as Germany's "Tiger Queen".
• Local authorities are investigating the incident and the conditions under which the animals are kept.
• Animal rights group PETA has called for stricter regulations on private ownership of dangerous animals.

On Sunday, German police shot and killed a tiger that had escaped from a private facility in Schkeuditz, near Leipzig, after the animal attacked a 73-year-old member of its handling team. The man, described as a volunteer with permission to be within the enclosure, sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized, according to reports from local authorities and media SCMP and BBC.

The incident occurred when the tiger, part of a group of eight big cats owned by Carmen Zander, escaped after attacking its handler. Following the attack, armed police located the escapee in a garden area and swiftly decided to shoot it to prevent any danger to civilians, as confirmed by police statements CBS News and BBC.

Residents in the area expressed their shock and concern regarding the safety of keeping big cats in such facilities, with some noting past failures in the management of the tigers. District Mayor Thomas Druskat deemed the situation “unthinkable” and emphasized the need for the animals to be relocated to appropriate facilities SCMP and BBC.

PETA has been vocal about the conditions under which Zander keeps her tigers, highlighting that the animals live in inadequate environments. They have called for stricter regulations on the private ownership of exotic animals, stating that this incident serves as a "tragedy waiting to happen" CBS News.