Unilad – Earlier this week, a Bengal tiger named India was filmed roaming a suburban neighbourhood in Houston. After a brief encounter with an armed off-duty deputy, Victor Hugo Cuevas, 26, wrangled the tiger into his SUV and drove away.
Tiger King’s Carole Baskin calls out Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and John Cornyn (R-TX) over loose tiger in Texas.
She says Senate should have taken up House-passed Big Cat Public Safety Act, which prohibits private ownership of big cats. pic.twitter.com/fGKXFLDjqg
— The Recount (@therecount) May 12, 2021
As reported by TMZ, Baskin’s sanctuary in Tampa, Florida, is offering $5,000 ‘to the person responsible for the immediate, safe hand over of India the Tiger to a sanctuary that is accredited by the Global Federation of Sanctuaries.’
Baskin also confirmed India wouldn’t be taken to Big Cat Rescue, but another sanctuary which would provide care to the animal. Whoever finds the tiger must work in cooperation with law enforcement, and those efforts must be ‘sufficient to convict both buyer and seller involved in the transfers of the tiger,’ according to the outlet.
Apparently there's a tiger loose on my parents' West Houston street? pic.twitter.com/TgdIiPSPKx
— robwormald (@robwormald) May 10, 2021
She also said she’s concerned about India’s safety given the ‘serious lack of responsibility so far’ shown by the owners so far. Cuevas, who’s out on bond, alleges he doesn’t actually own the tiger.
However, Cuevas’ lawyer Michael Elliott told reporters: ‘We are both very anxious and looking forward to doing everything we can do to find India. We want to find India.’
Baskin also told CNN: ‘I am extremely worried about what happens with this tiger and the people around it. This has become commonplace in Texas.’