Missing Bengal tiger found unharmed after roaming Texas suburbs for a week
- The owner of the animal was seen in social media videos last week kissing the untethered tiger before placing it into his car and driving off
- India the tiger was handed over to police and moved to an animal sanctuary on Sunday, police said
A Bengal tiger last seen a week ago roaming the gardens of suburban Houston and terrifying locals has been found unharmed and was being moved on Sunday to an animal sanctuary, police said.
“We got him, and he’s healthy,” Houston police commander Ron Borza was seen saying in a video.
The animal, named India, had been in the custody of the wife of its owner, a 26-year-old man seen in social media videos last week kissing the untethered tiger before placing it into his car and driving off.
The man, identified as Victor Cuevas, was arrested on Monday, freed Wednesday, then rearrested on Friday. He had faced a past murder charge.
When the incident began on May 9, frightened neighbours saw the nine-month-old tiger wandering through their gardens in a residential neighbourhood.