Tiger found in vacant Houston house now at animal sanctuary

The tiger found in a vacant house in Houston is getting used to his new environment at an animal sanctuary in East Texas.

Houston authorities are still trying to figure out who owned the tiger, which they nicknamed “Tyson” after “The Hangover” movie. A group of people looking for a place to smoke weed reportedly found him Monday inside the abandoned home.

On Tuesday, Tyson was moved to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Henderson County, which is located about 80 miles southeast of Dallas. It’s an affiliate of the Humane Society.

Black Beauty Ranch Director Noelle Almrud said she’s not sure Tyson has ever been on grass before. He was in a small cage when he was rescued.

“We haven’t been very invasive with him because we want to give him a chance to relax. He was very stressed obviously with the transport over the past couple of days. This morning he seems to have settled down quite a bit. He’s a lot more calm and we’ll be able to keep an eye on him over the next few days to evaluate to make sure he’s doing well,” she said.

Tyson paced back and forth as FOX 4’s cameras briefly captured video. The photographers were asked to leave because Almrud said the pacing is a nervous behavior.

The non-profit Black Beauty Ranch will continue to provide care for Tyson and may change his name.

He will have access to a vet and a proper diet. And once he is out of quarantine, he will be able to enjoy a 5-acre naturally wooded habitat that is already housing two other rescued tigers.

It’s illegal to have a tiger in Houston, like in most large Texas cities. But in unincorporated areas, people can still buy, sell and breed wild animals with the proper permit.

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