SAN ANTONIO – The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a tiger was found on a property on the Southwest Side, according to authorities.
The exotic animal was found on Saturday evening in the 18200 block of Primo Street, not far from Interstate 35 and Shepherd Road.
BCSO officials said someone called in that there was a tiger at the property.
When deputies went to investigate, they found the wild animal, which is illegal to have in the county and the city of San Antonio.
The people housing the tiger were issued a Class C misdemeanor citation, BCSO said.
Authorities said the tiger will be removed and placed at the Southern Wildlife Rescue organization.
At this time, it is unclear if this sighting is connected to a report of a tiger cub on the loose on the Southwest Side of San Antonio on Feb. 6.
In that incident, a homeowner in the 8600 block of Elk Runner called 911 and claimed she saw the cub walking around in her backyard.
By the time officers arrived, the cat had left the property. Officers were able to contact a homeowner, who claimed he had the tiger cub at his residence for a few hours so he could show his family.
That person said he took the tiger back to its owner on the North Side, where there are also “several other tigers,” San Antonio police said Saturday.
Shannon Sims, interim director for ACS, told KSAT this week that officers are still investigating the incident, but they do not have a credible location for the tiger.
While it is legal in much of Texas to privately own a big cat as a pet, such ownership is prohibited in San Antonio and Bexar County.
Other prohibited exotic animals in Bexar County and San Antonio include wolves, leopards, lions, crocodiles and bears, among others. Here’s an expanded list of prohibited animals in Bexar County, according to an order from the Commissioners Court:
This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
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