Only if you are wearing one of these:
Posted on 02/24/2005 4:32:02 AM PST by KidGlock
Tiger Shot, Killed Near Reagan Library
Thursday February 24, 2005 3:46 AM
By LAURA WIDES
Associated press Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Authorities shot and killed a male tiger Wednesday that had been roaming the hills near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
The 425-pound cat was shot several hundred yards from soccer and baseball fields at the edge of a housing development, said Lorna Bernard, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Fish and Game.
``It's unfortunate that we had to kill it,'' Bernard said. ``It's even more unfortunate that the person who owned it didn't come forward and alert us immediately. We might have been able to capture it.''
Trackers had to shoot to kill because a tranquilizer would have taken five to 10 minutes to bring down the animal, Bernard said. They were concerned the animal might attack them or bolt onto a nearby highway. The animal was killed near Simi Valley, about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Authorities received a call just after 6 a.m. from a resident who reported the tiger strolling past his back fence. He said his children took pictures from inside their home.
Ken Tucker told KCBS-TV the tiger walked to a nearby house and ``was just staring down'' the neighbor's dogs.
The trackers had been looking for the animal for eight days, using infrared equipment at night. They had set traps with goat meat and chicken.
The hunt began after the discovery of paw prints on a ranch near the library that were far too large for native bobcats or mountain lions.
Bernard said the owner could have told authorities about the tiger's temperament and eating habits, which might have helped them catch the animal sooner.
As the cat roamed the hills, it became hungrier and disoriented, making it more dangerous to the nearby community of horse ranches and sprawling homes.
Authorities said they were investigating how the cat got loose in the hills.
``Obviously we'll be looking at all the facilities in the area that housed big cats,'' Bernard said.
Two weeks ago, authorities removed nearly two dozen large cats, including lions and tigers, from property rented by Abby and Emma Hedengran not far from the library, Bernard said. All the animals that inspectors found on the property were accounted for, she said.
A telephone message left Wednesday for the Hedengrans by The Associated Press was not immediately returned.
Tests will be performed on the tiger that may provide clues about its history.
John Wayne would have just caught him. Tiger likes Rooster.
. . . prompting a nationwide protest by PETA </sarcasm>
John Kerry will probably want to buy the skin.
very sad situation
Is there any wonder that such a proud and regal animal would be drawn to this particular facility?
I would assume once you shoot one you better make sure he's dead.
LOL (at myself). I thought this was a golf thread at first.
Evidently the owner (if that's the word) of the tiger didn't report it because he wasn't supposed to have it.
Poor kitty.
Only if you are wearing one of these:
Me too! I was wondering why the death of Tiger Woods hadn't been reported more widely.
The owner may now be tiger doo doo.
When is someone going to notice that the beast was clawless? It'd never killed anything and had no idea how. Grrrrrrrr
Toothless also?
I've often said that the best home security device is a 400lb. tiger with his vocal cords removed. }:^)
Cats stalk.
This is horrible. How can someone be so cruel as to have a exotic animal and not care for it properly? The tiger must have been starving, not to mention terrified during its last moments on earth. The "owner" of this animal should be shot as well.
Flame away but I DETEST careless, cruel pet owners.
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