A lion escaped from a circus in the Italian city of Ladispoli on Saturday, and authorities have been trying to catch the animal for at least three hours. Although at first the lion was going to be caught, he managed to escape again and even reach populated areas. The authorities are waiting for the arrival of a veterinarian from Rome, and citizens have been asked to stay at home, writes Corriere della Sera.

The lion managed to get out of the cage when the circus employees were careless, and the mayor of Ladispoli, Alessandro Grando, asked people not to leave their homes.

“A lion escaped from the circus. The animal was immediately followed (…). Employees of the circus are carrying out a capture operation with the support of the police, who immediately intervened at the scene. Please exercise the utmost caution and avoid travel until further notice.” Alessandro Grando reported on Saturday.

The lion was one step away from capture

At first, the lion was found not far from where it managed to escape, along a stream. But the authorities failed to detain him.

Law enforcement officers have been dispatched to search for him, roadblocks have been set up, and a helicopter is even flying over the territory.

Now the authorities are also checking whether the circus’s documents are in order and whether all safety measures have been followed to avoid a similar situation. Roni Roller Circus has scheduled a show in the Italian city for Sunday.

According to local media, the animal is limping and appears dazed, but authorities are still waiting for a veterinarian to arrive from Rome to tranquilize it so it can finally be caught.

Some residents of the city of Ladispoli criticize the authorities for this situation, because they would not have taken all the security measures to prevent such events. Some even call for a ban on circuses.

“For those who start asking: why are you still running an animal circus in Ladispol? Why did the mayor allow the circus? I answer that I did not allow anything, it is none of my business, and that, unfortunately, we cannot prohibit animal circuses from coming to our city. In 2017, we tried but lost the appeal (…) and we also had to reimburse the appellants’ legal costs. Until the rules change, we cannot do otherwise. I will provide you with additional information as soon as it is communicated to me,” Mayor Ladispoli responded to the accusations.

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