A teenager searching for her lost dog found a tiger cub in her neighbor’s backyard according to local outlets.
Azul Cruz, a resident of San Antonio, spotted the tiger on Elk Runner Street in San Antonio, according to KSAT 12.
“I was searching, and then my little cousin was like, ‘I think that is a tiger over there,’” Cruz said to KSAT 12.
“I looked, and it was a tiger. And I could tell it had jumped in my neighbor’s yard because she is an older lady, and we have never seen a tiger over there before,” continued. “I called 911, and they were like, ‘Are you sure it is a tiger?’ I said, ‘Yes, I am sure it is a tiger. That is why I am calling you.’”
Shannon Sims, interim director for Animal Care Services, said they are still investigating and do not have a credible location for the tiger, KSAT 12 reported.
????????CAUGHT ON CAMERA- Tiger roaming South side neighborhood. https://t.co/sgCg2UFBej
— KSAT 12 (@ksatnews) February 10, 2021
“We have had some pretty wild calls before. The monkey in the airport and things like that, but this is definitely the first tiger call,” Sims said. (RELATED: Elon Musk Says He Has A Monkey That Can Play Video Games With Its Mind Thanks To Brain Chip)
Sims told KSAT 12 that owning a tiger is legal in Texas, but owners need to go through a rigorous permit process.
“The state strictly identifies dangerous animals,” Sims told KSAT 12. “Large cats are on that list, and that includes tigers, lions, cougars and things like that. You have to have permits from the state, as well as from the federal level – USDA.”
However, owning a tiger is forbidden inside the city of San Antonio, Sims said.
“We have seen the tiger cubs before, and they are cute,” Sims told KSAT 12. “But then they go from 10 pounds to 700, 800 pounds. Even if they are not trying to kill you, they are potentially lethal animals.”
Fortunately, Cruz later found her dog, Bruno, KSAT 12 reported.