Owner of escaped tiger in eastern Germany 'did nothing wrong'

The owner of the tiger that escaped from a facility in eastern Germany last weekend has no explanation for the incident, which left a 72-year-old assistant seriously injured, but is taking no blame for it. 

"I did nothing wrong," trainer Carmen Zander told the Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper on Tuesday. "My assistants are fully trained. I don't understand what happened here."

A fully-grown male tiger escaped from the facility in Dölzig, near Leipzig, on Sunday afternoon, leaving the 72-year-old seriously injured. 

Police later shot the animal near an allotment garden. 

According to authorities, a total of nine tigers were living in the enclosure before the escape. 

"I know my facility inside out. I am regularly inspected by the authorities. Everything here is very safe," said Zander. 

She wished the injured assistant a speedy recovery and said only he knows what occurred. 

“Only he can clear my name,” said the trainer. “My main goal at the moment is not to lose my animals.”

The public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into negligent bodily harm. The injured man was initially able to be interviewed following the accident.