Tiger On The Loose In Texas: Young Tiger Found Wandering The Streets Near Houston


A young female tiger was found wandering the streets of Conroe, a north Houston suburb in Texas on Thursday, KHOU reports. The tiger was found with a leash and a collar attached to it with no signs of its owner. People who saw the wild animal on the streets initially freaked out, after which they reported the rather unusual incident to the local Animal Control office.

The tiger was reportedly found wandering the street along Coral Cove Pass near League Line Road. A gentleman identified as Jonathan Gessner found the tiger on the streets and he tried to grab the feline and take it to the animal control building. However, after the animal started behaving aggressively, giving out a loud hiss, he decided it was a better idea to call the police who arrived on the spot a few minutes later.

Tiger on the loose in Texas
A photo posted on the official Facebook page of the Conroe Police Department shows the young tiger that was captured on Thursday [Image Via Conroe PD]
According to police officers investigating the incident, an investigation has been launched into the incident with efforts already on to locate the owner of the young tiger cub. The circumstances that led to the tiger being out on the streets of Houston remains unclear. The local police department has issued a statement following the incident.

“Animal control officers were able to locate and capture the animal. We are asking for assistance in locating the owner.”

Authorities add that no one was harmed or injured in the incident. The tiger was also a juvenile, although the age of the exotic animal has not been determined yet. Animal control officers were able to capture the tiger and safely relocate it in captivity. The tiger is currently safe in the animal control building.

While the owner of the tiger remains unknown, authorities are hopeful of finding the person who kept the tiger with them. If traced, the owner is likely to face sanctions under Texas’ animal control laws. Initial reports say that officials have found that the tiger’s owners are residents of Atascocita, a large, affluent development located northeast of downtown Houston. The animal was allegedly brought to a friend’s house after the owner’s home was flooded during the recent rains. Efforts are on to send the tiger “back home,” officers said.

This is not the first time this year that we have heard of a tiger being on the loose. Earlier this year, a similar story was reported from Doha, the capital city of the middle-eastern country of Qatar. Back in March, a large tiger — also with a leash around its neck — was found walking on the busy streets of Qatar as people watched in amazement from the safety of their cars.

Several photographs and videos of the incident were shared on social media platforms that showed the confused animal trying to get off the road after falling out the back of a truck. The animal was a pet owned by a wealthy Qatari. It was eventually captured by four men who reportedly bundled the animal back into the lorry.

We have embedded a few videos showing the Qatari tiger in action below.

Do you think the owners of the tiger on the loose in Houston should be penalized?

[Image By Willow Grove, PA, USAFlickr, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons]

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