A tiger that has escaped captivity after attacking a person has been shot dead by police near the eastern city of Leipzig, German police said on Sunday.

The animal belongs to the well-known trainer Carmen Zander, who possesses a group of big cats held in an industrial estate, according to the Bild newspaper, which cited the daily Leipziger Volksstimme in its report.

Police kill tiger after attack

Police initially said the injured person was male and that he was only slightly hurt, though Bild said he had nonetheless been hospitalized.

Later media reports said the injured was a 73-year-old man who cared for the animal and that he had received serious wounds.

According to a spokeswoman, no other tigers had escaped.

They said the tiger had escaped from a private facility in Schkeuditz, just west of Leipzig, before being shot dead in nearby gardens.

Controversial tiger tamer

Zander, who has been dubbed the "Tiger Queen," has already faced legal issues because of her treatment of the animals in her care, the Zeit weekly said, citing media reports.

Among other things, she is alleged to have put on a tiger show without proper approval, leading to an investigation by Leipzig state prosecutors.

Edited by: Darko Janjevic