Pet tiger was New Yorker's "only friend"

Reuters ^ | October 7, 2003

[Shermy]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Battered and bitten and facing seven years in prison, a man who made headlines for keeping a fierce tiger in his New York apartment says he still loves the beast and misses him terribly.

Arraigned on Tuesday in Manhattan Criminal Court, Antoine Yates, 31, was charged with two counts of reckless endangerment and possession of a wild animal, all revolving around Ming, a 400-pound, 20-month-old Siberian-Bengal tiger discovered by authorities on Saturday.

Tipped off by neighbours who complained about the stench of urine flowing from Yates' Harlem apartment, police rappelled down the side of his apartment building and hit the beast through a fifth-floor window with a tranquilliser dart.

Yates, a part-time taxi driver, was arrested on Sunday at a Philadelphia hospital where he was treated for bites from Ming, who attacked him when he tried to protect a kitten from the tiger.

"I still feel heartbroken, torn up. The pain is nothing. It is the pain in my heart that really bothers me. I really do miss him," Yates said after his court appearance.

"He was like my brother, my best friend. He was my only friend, really," Yates said.

Yates's ordeal came as magician Roy Horn of "Siegfried and Roy" fame was in critical condition after being savaged by one of the white Bengal tigers in his Las Vegas show.

Manhattan Criminal Judge Melissa Jackson released Yates on his own recognisance, ordering him back in court on December 18 to learn if he has been indicted.

Yates faces up to seven years in state prison if convicted of the top count of reckless endangerment.

Yates also kept a three-foot alligator-like caiman named Al, which authorities also found in his seven-room apartment. Ming and Al had separate bedrooms.

Ming, who ate 25 chicken thighs a day, was shipped to an animal refuge in Ohio, while Al went to Indiana.

Neighbours said Yates also has housed hyenas, monkeys and snakes in his home. Prosecutors said they were investigating what happened to Yates' other animals.

[AntiGuv]

sniffle..

[Shermy]

Pinger.

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[Shermy]

Prosecutors said they were investigating what happened to Yates' other animals.

Ming and Al are getting lawyers...

[Husker24]

This guy doesnt deserve 7 years for this. Too bad he cant get a job at the zoo taking care of his Tiger.

[Constitution Day]

Ming, who ate 25 chicken thighs a day, was shipped to an animal refuge in Ohio...
...Prosecutors said they were investigating what happened to Yates' other animals.

Ummm, hello!!
It's a crazy world when your "only friend" is a carnivorous animal.

[w_over_w]

Sniff! I miss eating playing with my old friend.

[spectre]

Wonder what happened to the poor little kitten?

nevermind...:~(

sw

[U S Army EOD]

Hmmmm, I wonder what happened to the other animals? I would suspect that since the guy was trying to protect the little kitten FROM THE TIGER, we have our first clue.

[Consort]

There is no such thing as a pet tiger.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Neighbours said Yates also has housed hyenas, monkeys and snakes in his home. Prosecutors said they were investigating what happened to Yates' other animals.

[U S Army EOD]

I once had a cousin who had a leppard for a pet. The leppard would kill a cat on sight but got along great with the yard dogs.

[ambrose]

Haha.

[Alamo-Girl]

Jeepers... Thanks for the heads up!

[dagnabbit]

I dunno.

I think ILiveAloneWithAFreakinTiger had lots of friends here at FR.

[FITZ]

Neighbours said Yates also has housed hyenas, monkeys and snakes in his home. Prosecutors said they were investigating what happened to Yates' other animals.

25 chicken thighs wasn't enough.

[scab4faa]

See what gun-control will get ya...

[GovernmentShrinker]

I agree, and I suspect the judge will too. This is a well-meaning though misguided young man. In the neighborhood in question, many young men are inclined to murderous violence to humans and animals. This fellow is worth saving, and a job in a zoo or wildlife preserve (maybe the one Ming got sent to) would be a good idea -- lots of unskilled labor needed at those places.

[Mudcat]

How does a part-time taxi driver in New York City afford:

1) A 7 room apartment, and
2) 25 chicken thighs a day?

That's 750 chicken thighs a month! Yowza.