Carole Baskin on tiger attack at Wooten’s Airboat rides

The tiger attack at Wooten’s in Ochopee on Tuesday marked the second time in four months that someone was injured because of a big cat.

In December, River Rosenquist, part of the custodial staff at the Naples Zoo, was hurt when Eko the Malayan tiger tried to pull him through the fence of his enclosure. Rosenquist almost lost his arm and Eko had to be killed by a Collier sheriff’s deputy.

The latest attack occurred at a roadside airboat ride attraction and animal sanctuary during feeding time. Ignacio Meabe Martinez, 48, an employee at the attraction stuck his hand in the tiger’s enclosure to pet the animal when it attacked, according to a Collier County Sheriff’s Office report.

Martinez was warned not to do it but he didn’t listen, according to the report.

MORE: Wooten’s employee ignored warnings not to pet tiger prior to attack

Wooten’s is one of 12 places in Southwest Florida that are licensed to have big cats.

There are two tigers at the exhibit but it’s unknown which one bit Martinez.

Activists have been working for years to tighten laws to protect big cats but others say you can’t stop people from making poor decisions.

Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue Corp. in Tampa, is advocating for legislation at a national level. Baskin’s rescue has been highlighted in the Netflix show Tiger King.

Baskin warned if Congress continues to allow private ownership of big cats, she fears it will lead to the extinction of tigers in the wild.

“People don’t know how to handle these animals and shouldn’t have to. They don’t belong in cages,” Baskin said. “It’s all of this captive breeding that’s actually causing the extinction of the tiger.”

Baskin said it’s now or never for the “Big Cat Public Safety Act,” the legislation is hoping Congress will adopt.

“It stops cub-petting,” she said, adding that, “It phases out private ownership.”

“When the bill passes, it will stop the breeding of over 200 Big Cats … 200 Tigers alone, not even counting the lions,” Baskin said.

But not everyone feels that way.

Jonathan Slaby, the director of operations at the Kowiachobee Animal Preserve in Collier County said the maulings at Wooten’s and at the zoo were results of negligent people breaking the law.

And there is no law against stupidity.