ST. LOUIS (AP) -- State legislators who favor tightening laws on keeping exotic animals plan to keep pushing for reforms in the wake of two tiger attacks this week in Missouri.

Sen. Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, and Rep. Mike Sutherland, R-Warrenton, both have tried unsuccessfully to strengthen exotic animal law in Missouri.

"We were hoping to be proactive, rather than reactive," Dempsey said Wednesday. He called it unfortunate that two tiger-related tragedies "should bring the issue to the forefront."

On Monday, 16-year-old Dakoda Ramel was critically injured by a tiger at a southwest Missouri attraction authorities know as Predator World, where he worked as an intern.

The business -- which also calls itself the Branson Interactive Zoo and Aquarium -- said Ramel had entered a pen to take pictures for a customer in "clear violation of policy." The company's statement said Ramel slipped and fell, and was unconscious when a tiger dragged him to "what she would have felt was safety."

Stone County Sheriff Richard Hill expressed skepticism, saying, "I don't buy the story the tiger was a lifesaver."

Hill cited witness accounts of Ramel entering the pen to take pictures for a visitor and tapping a tiger's nose as he left. The witnesses said the tiger leaped on Ramel and grabbed him by the neck, the sheriff said.

Witnesses ran for help and returned to see three tigers around the teen, Stone said. Staffers used carbon dioxide to move the cats away and removed Ramel, who remains hospitalized.

The business said it does not plan to euthanize the tigers because "Dakoda's family has made it clear that is not what he would have wanted."

In eastern Missouri, a 26-year-old volunteer was mauled Sunday at the Wesa-A-Geh-Ya animal facility in Warren County. Jacob Barr later had part of his leg amputated, and the business's owners now plan to shut down and are looking for new homes for dozens of animals.

The two maulings have renewed debate in Missouri about what should be allowed under the law. The Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, an animal welfare legislative organization, said it supports an update of a dangerous-animal registration law. It wants owners of certain animals to be required to microchip and register them annually, and it promotes better safety guidelines.

Sutherland, who lives in the county where Wesa-A-Geh-Ya is located, said members of the House have been supportive in recent years of efforts to strengthen the law, although no bill has passed.

"Once people got over the `lions and tigers and bears, oh my,' thing, they started taking it seriously and realized it was important to public safety," he said.

Sutherland said it was difficult to write a bill that would protect people without intruding into their lives. One of his proposals drew opposition because it would have banned breeding certain exotic animals.

Another issue is determining which state agency would take charge of exotic animal registrations and inspections, Sutherland said. But he called it likely that he would pursue legislation again.

Jeanne Hall, president of the Washington-based Alliance for the Conservation of Exotic Felines, said her organization's members generally oppose regulations like statewide registries for exotic animals. Hall said the country already has many laws on public safety and animal welfare.

For many exotic animal owners, Hall said, the issue is tied to personal liberties.

"The majority of exotic animal owners you never see," she said. "They privately have these animals; they never have an incident of any sort."

Exotic animal organizations, like the Phoenix Exotic Wildlife Association where she is also president, work hard to educate people about the commitment involved in being a responsible exotic animal owner.

Hall said she thinks exotic animal requirements should vary from region to region -- what works in rural Missouri isn't the same as in New York City. She said any proposed changes in law should involve exotic animal owners who are well-versed in what certain animals require.

Also on Wednesday, the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wrote to Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt seeking a statewide ban on private possession of "wild and dangerous" animals.

PETA noted past problems at Predator World, such as a leopard biting a volunteer in 2004, and a civil penalty imposed on Wesa-A-Geh-Ya in 2006 for Animal Welfare Act violations.

Blunt leaves office in January, before the next legislative session begins, and spokesman Rich Chrismer said the governor was not inclined to take up a special session on the issue.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)