This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Houston police say some people who went into an abandoned home to smoke marijuana found a caged tiger inside.

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They called the city on Monday and the major offender animal cruelty unit and animal shelter volunteers arrived on the scene. Authorities nicknamed the tiger “Tyson” after the movie The Hangover.

Officials told the local television station KHOU-TV the tiger was well fed, but its cage was secured by a nylon strap and screwdriver. Officials say it could have easily opened and the tiger could have gone on a “rampage”.

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The tiger was taken to an animal shelter, then it was transferred to an animal sanctuary in Texas on Tuesday.

It is legal to own a tiger in Texas if the owner has a wild game permit. But it is illegal to have a tiger in Houston.

