Guess What? Another Tiger Spotted in a Texas Neighborhood
I knew a bunch of people were going to spend their stimulus checks on tigers. Looks like we got another one.
So I have done two stories on tigers randomly popping up in neighborhoods here in Texas. One was a little girl who was looking for her dog and found a tiger. The other one was someone chilling with a tiger cub AND a bobcat in their residential home. I don't think these will be the last stories either. I think after everyone watched 'Tiger King', they think they should own a tiger.
Over in Houston this past weekend, police were called out to a residence about a tiger. A deputy was just driving by and saw a tiger was just sitting in the front yard. You would think it was like a neighborhood cat just lounging in the sun in the front yard. No chain or anything, just a tiger chilling enjoying the day. The deputy did draw their weapon because this is freaking tiger.
Someone came out of the residence screaming, 'don't shoot, don't shoot.' The man, who said it was his tiger, took the animal inside the home. A neighbor said the man then, “Came up to the tiger himself and leaned down and kissed the tiger, and then took him by his collar.” He then came back outside with the tiger, loaded the animal into his truck, and left before backup could arrive.
Texas has no statewide law forbidding private ownership of tigers and other big cats, although many local jurisdictions do have policies forbidding ownership of these animals. “Private citizens and emergency responders should not have to come face to face with a lion or a tiger in a crisis,” said Wayne Pacelle, the president of Animal Wellness Action. “These animals belong in the wild or in reputable sanctuaries or zoos and nowhere else. This epidemic of private ownership of these exotic animals must be put to a swift end before more animals die and more people are injured or killed.”
I don't think this will be the last tiger story I write and I just hope no one in our area is dumb enough to get one.