Pet Tiger Rescued from Houston Neighborhood Is 'Thriving and Happy' After One Year at Sanctuary
The HSUS
India the tiger is celebrating a year of comfort and safety.
In May 2021, Houston residents spotted the nine-month-old tiger prowling around neighborhood yards. The exotic pet's owner gave the animal to the authorities shortly after India made headlines for being out on the street.
After India's former owner surrendered the tiger, the big cat moved to Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, an animal sanctuary in Murchison, Texas, that is part of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
India has now lived at the 1,400-acre sanctuary for a year, has grown from 134 pounds to 251 pounds, and will turn two in August.
According to a release from HSUS, it took some time for India to acclimate to his new home. When the big cat first arrived, he was accustomed to receiving lots of human attention and didn't want to be left alone. To help India embrace a more natural lifestyle, sanctuary staff had social visits with the tiger outside his enclosure, which gradually decreased over time as India became more independent.
The HSUS
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The tiger also had to build up strength in his back legs because life as a house pet prevented him from developing muscles through running. With the room to run and jump at full speed at the sanctuary, India has built up his strength and now enjoys tearing through his expansive home.
"Once India developed more confidence, independence, and physical strength, his natural behaviors, and wild instincts kicked in. He is thriving and happy, always busy stalking, hiding in the tall grass, pouncing on balls and boxes, and experiencing other enrichment activities," Noelle Almrud, the senior director at Black Beauty Ranch, said in a statement.
Christi Gilbreth/The HSUS
"He also loves to climb and swim, or just take long naps under a tree. He is highly curious about his sanctuary neighbors, including Sammi the former circus bear. India likes to peek over the divider wall between them to see what's going on. We are looking forward to watching India mature and continuing to enjoy his life here, where he will be properly cared for and never have to worry again," she added.
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The HSUS
Kitty Block, the CEO of HSUS, hopes that India's story encourages people to avoid exotic pet ownership.
"We cannot have dangerous wild animals roaming neighborhoods or confined inside of a house. Forcing animals like India to be treated as a 'pet' is inhumane and a serious public safety risk — no matter how 'cute' or 'tame' the animal may seem. Big cats express natural, unpredictable behaviors that can occur at any moment. Thankfully, we can provide permanent sanctuary for India, but that is not going to stop the problem. Situations like this are why we are working to pass federal legislation. The Big Cat Public Safety Act would prohibit keeping big cats as pets," Block shared in a statement.
