Owner of Tiger, 150 Puppies Charged with Abuse
Description
By Amy Lieberman
February 23, 2009
A Missouri kennel owner seemed unable to handle her 150 puppies, which were seized from her property last week, but apparently has no qualms about caring for a full-grown Bengal tiger. The exotic cat, Sheena, was also taken from the commercial kennel, and is expected to be re-homed in a nearby sanctuary. Ownership of exotic animals is permitted in most states, but certainly comes at a price, one specialist says.
ST. LOUIS -- Another week, another rescue at an inhumane commercial kennel -- this time, 150 purebred puppies and one cat were pulled from a facility near Seneca, Mo., on Thursday.
Margaret J. Bond, 66, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of animal abuse on Friday, and is now subject to a fine of up to $1,000, as well as a year in jail for each count.
The dogs were found stewing in their own waste, with little food or water, but are now doing well in the care of the Humane Society of Missouri, says Jeane Jae, director of communications.
"I went in this morning and their tails were wagging, and looked happy to have some clean water and fresh food. They are doing well and it is our hope that all of them will find forever homes," said Jae of the Boston Terrier, Sharpei, Westie Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, Yorkie and Miniature Schnauzer pups.
Though apparently mistreated, the puppies had a protector, of sorts at the kennel: A Bengal tiger, which the Greene County Sheriff's Department, working with the Humane Society of Missouri, also recovered at the facility.
The female tiger was found suffering from an infection in her paws, caused by exposure to feces, as well as malnourishment.
The large, exotic cat, named "Sheena," is now residing at the Dickerson Park Zoo, in Springfield, Mo.
Unlike the dogs rescued alongside her, Sheena is not likely to be up for adoption anytime soon. Nor will she be able to assimilate smoothly into the tiger community at the zoo, says Melinda Arnold, the spokeswoman for Dickerson Park.
"We won't be putting her with our other tigers," Arnold explained, given the zoo's policy of placing any new animal into a quarantine facility for no less than 30 days.
"We don't know how healthy she is. She needs a lot more intensive care."
Nine-year-old Sheena is expected to be transferred to a large cat sanctuary in Southern Missouri this week, Arnold says. The tiger is no ordinary tabby, but her years spent in a domesticated setting appear to have paid off, at least to a certain extent -- Sheena's veterinarian was able to use a basic syringe, rather than a dart gun, to sedate the large cat prior to her medical inspection.
"She is fairly low stress and appears used to being around humans," Arnold said.
Appearances can be deceiving, though, especially when it comes to an exotic animal, says Richard Farinato, a subject expert on captive animals for the Humane Society on the United States.
"These animals are adopted at a very young age, usually around eight weeks or so," Farinato said. "Any animal you hand-raise, it is going to be an easy situation. You are the mother, and the tiger cub is a baby, and it needs you."
Once the tiger grows up, however, all bets are off.
"There is no recognition of if you love the tiger or if it loves you. That won't stop it from jumping at you and trying to rip your throat off," Farinato continued.
Despite the inherent risks of purchasing and owning a tiger, which can market anywhere form $200 to $10,000, some people continue to forgo a calico for a Bengal.
It doesn't appear that hard to do -- a basic Internet search of "buy a pet tiger," uncovered several for-sale sites, including BuyTigers.com, which retails the cats out for $13,400 -- ivory collar and three tiger toys included.
Regardless of their accessibility, though, pet tigers often wind up in the care of rescue organizations, Farinato said.
For example, another adult pet Bengal tiger was recently rescued from a private residence in Hamilton County, Texas, on Feb. 10. Like Sheena, the 300-pound tiger, named Hamilton, was reportedly malnourished. It remains in the care of the Humane Society of North Texas, located in Ft. Worth, Texas.
Neighbors alerted the authorities to the presence of Hamilton, who spent much of his days penned in his owner's backyard. The neighbors suspected the tiger had been kept for the past five years at the private residence, where he was "likely used as kind of a tourist attraction," said Tammy Roberts, lead cruelty investigator for the Humane Society.
The Humane Society of North Texas has handled several exotic intakes over the years, including lions, zebras, bobcats, monkeys and bears.
The bears remained at the shelter, which mainly handles basic stray dogs and cats, for nearly two years.
The shelter is presently seeking a permanent home for Hamilton, who has gained around 20 pounds since his removal from the private residence.
When the shelter first rescued Hamilton "he was stressed out," Roberts said.
"He just wasn't used to being fed everyday and being around all these new peope. He's doing a lot better now."
Exotic pet owners tend to underestimate the work -- and ongoing costs -- involved with providing for exotic animals, Farinato says. On average, tigers require around 10 pounds of meat a day, in order to maintain a healthy diet.
"What we see happen is that people will feed the animal the cheapest possible thing -- chicken necks, backs, scrap meat. It's not a sufficient diet," he said. "This is an animal that would catch and kill prey and when you feed them just chicken or whatever you won't be able to give them all the minerals and vitamins they require."
Lack of nutrition is only one of the problems pet exotics and owners can face.
"Most of the time there will be no vet care, and the animal will be raised in isolation," Farinato said. "The animal essentially has no experience in being what it is, and when faced with others of its own kind, it is going to have a very hard time trying to relate."
Exotic pet owners' decisions may leave them subject to physical attacks, but they are not likely to get nipped by the law.
Relatively few states prohibit or severely restrict private ownership of wild animals, according to the HSUS. Georgia and California, though, do have strict regulations which essentially act as a ban on private ownership of exotics.
February 23, 2009
A Missouri kennel owner seemed unable to handle her 150 puppies, which were seized from her property last week, but apparently has no qualms about caring for a full-grown Bengal tiger. The exotic cat, Sheena, was also taken from the commercial kennel, and is expected to be re-homed in a nearby sanctuary. Ownership of exotic animals is permitted in most states, but certainly comes at a price, one specialist says.
ST. LOUIS -- Another week, another rescue at an inhumane commercial kennel -- this time, 150 purebred puppies and one cat were pulled from a facility near Seneca, Mo., on Thursday.
Margaret J. Bond, 66, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of animal abuse on Friday, and is now subject to a fine of up to $1,000, as well as a year in jail for each count.
The dogs were found stewing in their own waste, with little food or water, but are now doing well in the care of the Humane Society of Missouri, says Jeane Jae, director of communications.
"I went in this morning and their tails were wagging, and looked happy to have some clean water and fresh food. They are doing well and it is our hope that all of them will find forever homes," said Jae of the Boston Terrier, Sharpei, Westie Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, Yorkie and Miniature Schnauzer pups.
Though apparently mistreated, the puppies had a protector, of sorts at the kennel: A Bengal tiger, which the Greene County Sheriff's Department, working with the Humane Society of Missouri, also recovered at the facility.
The female tiger was found suffering from an infection in her paws, caused by exposure to feces, as well as malnourishment.
The large, exotic cat, named "Sheena," is now residing at the Dickerson Park Zoo, in Springfield, Mo.
Unlike the dogs rescued alongside her, Sheena is not likely to be up for adoption anytime soon. Nor will she be able to assimilate smoothly into the tiger community at the zoo, says Melinda Arnold, the spokeswoman for Dickerson Park.
"We won't be putting her with our other tigers," Arnold explained, given the zoo's policy of placing any new animal into a quarantine facility for no less than 30 days.
"We don't know how healthy she is. She needs a lot more intensive care."
Nine-year-old Sheena is expected to be transferred to a large cat sanctuary in Southern Missouri this week, Arnold says. The tiger is no ordinary tabby, but her years spent in a domesticated setting appear to have paid off, at least to a certain extent -- Sheena's veterinarian was able to use a basic syringe, rather than a dart gun, to sedate the large cat prior to her medical inspection.
"She is fairly low stress and appears used to being around humans," Arnold said.
Appearances can be deceiving, though, especially when it comes to an exotic animal, says Richard Farinato, a subject expert on captive animals for the Humane Society on the United States.
"These animals are adopted at a very young age, usually around eight weeks or so," Farinato said. "Any animal you hand-raise, it is going to be an easy situation. You are the mother, and the tiger cub is a baby, and it needs you."
Once the tiger grows up, however, all bets are off.
"There is no recognition of if you love the tiger or if it loves you. That won't stop it from jumping at you and trying to rip your throat off," Farinato continued.
Despite the inherent risks of purchasing and owning a tiger, which can market anywhere form $200 to $10,000, some people continue to forgo a calico for a Bengal.
It doesn't appear that hard to do -- a basic Internet search of "buy a pet tiger," uncovered several for-sale sites, including BuyTigers.com, which retails the cats out for $13,400 -- ivory collar and three tiger toys included.
Regardless of their accessibility, though, pet tigers often wind up in the care of rescue organizations, Farinato said.
For example, another adult pet Bengal tiger was recently rescued from a private residence in Hamilton County, Texas, on Feb. 10. Like Sheena, the 300-pound tiger, named Hamilton, was reportedly malnourished. It remains in the care of the Humane Society of North Texas, located in Ft. Worth, Texas.
Neighbors alerted the authorities to the presence of Hamilton, who spent much of his days penned in his owner's backyard. The neighbors suspected the tiger had been kept for the past five years at the private residence, where he was "likely used as kind of a tourist attraction," said Tammy Roberts, lead cruelty investigator for the Humane Society.
The Humane Society of North Texas has handled several exotic intakes over the years, including lions, zebras, bobcats, monkeys and bears.
The bears remained at the shelter, which mainly handles basic stray dogs and cats, for nearly two years.
The shelter is presently seeking a permanent home for Hamilton, who has gained around 20 pounds since his removal from the private residence.
When the shelter first rescued Hamilton "he was stressed out," Roberts said.
"He just wasn't used to being fed everyday and being around all these new peope. He's doing a lot better now."
Exotic pet owners tend to underestimate the work -- and ongoing costs -- involved with providing for exotic animals, Farinato says. On average, tigers require around 10 pounds of meat a day, in order to maintain a healthy diet.
"What we see happen is that people will feed the animal the cheapest possible thing -- chicken necks, backs, scrap meat. It's not a sufficient diet," he said. "This is an animal that would catch and kill prey and when you feed them just chicken or whatever you won't be able to give them all the minerals and vitamins they require."
Lack of nutrition is only one of the problems pet exotics and owners can face.
"Most of the time there will be no vet care, and the animal will be raised in isolation," Farinato said. "The animal essentially has no experience in being what it is, and when faced with others of its own kind, it is going to have a very hard time trying to relate."
Exotic pet owners' decisions may leave them subject to physical attacks, but they are not likely to get nipped by the law.
Relatively few states prohibit or severely restrict private ownership of wild animals, according to the HSUS. Georgia and California, though, do have strict regulations which essentially act as a ban on private ownership of exotics.
