Minnesota Tiger Owner Charged With Cruelty

January 2003

PETA was contacted by an animal control officer in Minnesota who was concerned that a tiger cub who had recently been confiscated from a neglectful home would be returned to her “owner.” The tiger was reportedly living inside a home in which raw chicken, feces, and urine covered the floors of many rooms. The man responsible for the tiger had failed to obtain the permit required to possess an exotic and dangerous animal.

We immediately contacted the city attorney to ask that the city seek permanent custody of the tiger and that her owner be charged with cruelty to animals and failure to obtain a proper permit. We also asked the mayor to ensure that the case would be taken seriously, and we alerted the local news media. The matter received a great deal of media coverage, and the city attorney charged the owner with cruelty to animals, lack of proper care, and failure to obtain a permit. The owner forfeited custody of the tiger cub, who will live out her life in a sanctuary for big cats in Colorado.