Owning Tigers in Texas
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A video of a tiger roaming a suburban neighborhood in Houston, Texas made the rounds today in social media. What transcended was a tense street confrontation between an off-duty police officer and the tiger itself. The officer, resident in the neighborhood, held the animal at gunpoint while the owner took control. The incident was recorded from multiple angles by other neighbors. Car traffic built up as the events unfolded as confused drivers apprehended what was going on. The situation was brought under control when the tiger was finally leashed by its owner.
You may now ask… did this have to happen? Tigers are endemic to a different continent, their relocation to Texas constitutes a severe decontextualization. Furthermore, what purpose does it serve to own a tiger in Texas? Does presence of a tiger in a residential neighborhood cooperate with the best interest of the community? Is the nature of the tiger honored or dishonored by such decontextualization? It's hard not to understand possession of such an animal in terms other than "I have it because I can", a show of agential force at the expense of the animal.
↳ TNC / Freedom
Tiger Ownership in Texas
While tigers are not allowed in Houston, they are legal in unincorporated Harris County if their owners register the animals and follow a strict set of rules, including holding $100,000 in animal insurance and keeping the tiger secured at least 1000 feet from another home, school, or child care facility. Texas law allows private ownership of tigers and other “dangerous wild animals”, as long as applicants register with their local animal control or sheriff, provide a paperwork copy to the state, and follow caging requirements. Lara Anton, a press officer for the Texas Department of State Health Services, told KHOU on Tuesday there were 45 registered tigers statewide across four counties: 35 in Collin County, which is home to a big cat rescue organization, six in Potter County, three in Travis County, and one in Bastrop County. — From KHOU11 News in Houston
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