Kulbir and Amritpal Dhaliwal– the brothers attacked Christmas Day at the San Francisco Zoo by Tatiana the Siberian tiger–have sued San Francisco.
Readers may recall that following the attack, the City accused the Dhaliwal brothers, who saw Tatiana fatally maul their friend Carlos Souza Jr, of taunting the tiger, lying to the authorities and being under the influence.
But now the attorneys for the Dhaliwal brothers are claiming that that their clients have been “defamed by a public relations firm, acting as an agent of the City and County of San Francisco and the San Francisco Zoo. Members of the public relations firm, including but not limited to Sam Singer, made false statements about Claimant’s action on the date of the attack.”
Kulbir’s attorneys note that their client suffered serious physical and emotional injuries, including deep lacerations and wounds, all over his body, head and face, requiring stitches, had surgery to both knees, and has scarring from the tiger attack.
Adorably majestic from afar, tigers are majorly fatal, up close and personal.
“Claimant has also been wrongfully deprived of the use of his vehicle, a 2002 BMW M3,” states Kulbir’s claim. “Further, Claimant has suffered emotional injuries as a result of the tiger attack as well as humiliation and degradation from the smear campaign brought against him.”
Kulbir’s brother, Amritpal, has filed a similar claim against the City, except that the extent of his injuries differ–and then there’s the fact that the Beemer, which the police subsequently impounded, only belonged to his brother.
The amount of damages Geragos is asking, on behalf of the Brothers Dhaliwal ?
“In excess of the jurisdictional minimum of ‘unlimited Jurisdiction’ of the Superior Court.”
Maybe the brothers will donate a portion of their award, assuming they win their case, to improve animal welfare at the zoo?
Maybe they won’t win.
But either way, this case keeps a needed spotlight on the Zoo, in terms of who runs it, how the money is being spent, why and whose interests are being best served.