Black leopard mauls Florida man who paid $150 for ‘full-contact experience’

DAVIE, Fla. (WPLG) – A man says he had to undergo multiple surgeries after he was mauled by a black leopard.

It happened after he paid $150 to have “a full-contact experience” with the wild animal.

Detectives with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) say the savage attack happened in an enclosure at a South Florida home owned by Michael Poggi.

The man has a Facebook page saying he’s an exotic animal breeder. He is licensed to have the leopard.

Investigators say Dwight Turner paid Poggi to play with the big cat, rub its belly and take pictures.

The FWC report says the leopard attacked once the man walked inside the enclosure.

The injuries were so severe that Turner’s scalp was “hanging from his head and his right ear was torn in half,” the report said.

Authorities charged the owner with allowing full contact with an extremely dangerous animal and was cited for maintaining captive wildlife in an unsafe condition.