A TIGER IS LOOSE ON OUR POST!!!
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive September 2004:
A TIGER IS LOOSE ON OUR POST!!!
I know - it sounds ludicrous, but it's true - a Bengal tiger is loose here at the Army base (Fort Polk). It is young - 1 year old, 100lbs - but still a tiger! The word is that it escaped from an exotic tiger farm nearby. I never knew there was one close by. It has been loose for two days, spotted many times, yet has not been caught.
I'm frightened! My kids are amazed. My husband - Mike is EXCITED?! He wants to go find it, LOL.
There hasn't been much of a fuss about it. Everyone is going to work/school as usual, kids playing outside, people riding bikes, kids at their busstops. I don't understand. Maybe I'm overreacting, but this is a pretty small base. I'm staying inside as much as possible, and keeping the kids inside as well. Isn't this just insane?!
LOL....just like a man to want to go FIND IT!!
Yikes!! I would be staying the house too!!
Oh, I would love a baby tiger to come into my yard! Here kitty-kitty! Sure, why not?! Yogi visits so why not Tony, too?! LOL!
Seriously though, I hope they find the poor thing soon before any mishaps.
Yikes!!! I hope that they are able to catch it unharmed. You'll have to let us know what happens.
I would be staying inside, too, but I would be glued to the windows, hoping for a glimpse of it! Let us know when it is caught.
Cori - I've been peering out the window constantly hoping to catch a glimpse, LOL
My dh says take a picture of it, he loves tigers. I would be worried too!
Stay safe.
Take pictures!!!!!
Let us know what happens.
Poor thing is probably hungry, for your own sanity and safety, I will let you know that most (not all) but most tigers and wildlife who are raised in farms or special care facilities do not have as strong a hunting instinct. They are accustomed to regular feeding times and look to humans as a source of food not as a food itself. The tiger would probably find some canned dog food a lot more appetizing than one of your children, simply because that is what's familiar. HOWEVER, it is still a wild animal and you are wise to be cautious. I hope it doesn't get shot.
It would be really neat to get a photo. Let us know what happens. I love tigers. I watch animal planet and national geographic and all that stuff.....I would probably want to try to catch it and make friends with it too! But my darling children would definitely NOT be on the menu! **LOL**AJ
WWW.TIGERLINK.ORG may be able to offer some help. AJ
I'm with Mike, it sounds cool! We had a few tiger escapes in South Florida, but they were always full grown, and it seems they always got away from this one owner. How bizzare to have it loose on post. I wonder if the gate guards checked it's ID?! 
ROFL Crystal! That's way too funny! Thanks for the link Audrey
Still hasn't been caught
We've had some large cats get loose out here in the wilds of Central Illinois in the past few years...one was at a truck stop in Bloomington! Of course, it almost always ends up in the cat getting killed...why, oh WHY do people insist on keeping wild animals???? Makes me nuts!
Well, still hasn't been caught. My dh said his unit is telling them to keep their kids indoors. They also said that the tiger has killed/eaten several dogs in the past few days. Ugh! I was up all night hearing helicopters searching. I wish this would end soon, with no one hurt and the tiger still alive.
That would be so scary.
I have an online friend that just moved there to the base a few weeks back and she told me about it. She was walking with her family and wondered why it was so quiet. Finally someone told her about it. She also said it had been seen near the school.
I hope that thing is caught soon so noone gets hurt.
Sounds like that poor tiger is not going to have a happy ending at this point. That is a long time for him to be loose w/ no idea where to look. Praying that everyone stays safe out there.
I can't believe the tiger still is on the loose. Stay safe Amy and family!
The story was on our local news. I hope it's found and captured soon!
I would be sooo scared!! I hope they find it soon!
The story is on the front of CNN.com! Yikes! I hope they find it soon, for everyone's sake (even the Tiger's).
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/09/01/loose.tiger.ap/index.html
Wow! CNN! LOL
I had a few facts wrong, as is normal with rumors. This tiger did not escape from an exotic tiger farm. No one knows where it came from, but it is thought to be someone's pet as those who have seen it said it was wearing a collar. It is about 100lbs and a year old. It is in our neighborhood as of right now, because there are lots of helicopters directly overhead, and MP's out on the streets with loud speakers telling everyone to get in their houses. I am so freaked out right now!!!
MAN, I hope they got him and that he wasn't hurt. Scary...
AMY, DID THEY CATCH IT ALIVE?
I am hopeful. The article said there was a woman out there from the zoo. I feel terrible that it killed some dogs. (probably pets) How awful! And I am surprised as well, but I guess the tiger got hungry or scared of barking dogs, or both. PEOPLE are so stupid! Tigers are not pets! I wonder if someone really let it go on purpose?????
"I know, let's get a TIGER for a PET and then when we get tired of taking care of it, because it is a WILD ANIMAL let's set it free on a MILITARY BASE!" How stupid can people be???!!!
I hope the lady from the zoo was able to rescue it. Maybe they could name it "GI Joe" because it was found on base. Let us know. Thanks. AJ
Lol @ GI Joe
They still have not caught it. My dh said that he saw long lines of soldiers with M16s and M4s standing all along the main street that my 5 year old's school is on. (Yes, he is in the school) This is very close to our house as well. So, the search is still on. We've been staying inside and keeping safe. I'll let you know when I hear more.
I hope they catch it soon & with out having to kill it. Does your son have to walk home?
Stay safe.
He takes the bus. I bring him and pick him up at the bus stop in the car now since the thing with the tiger. Normally we walk to the bus stop and back. But I'm scared to death!
I don't blame you, Amy! Scary!
I would be to...they still haven't caught it yet???
Still loose 
I was at the Piggly Wiggly doing grocery shopping(yuck) today and there was a sign on the bullitin(sp? sorry I am awful) board for bengal tiger kittens for sale! I live in a very small town, I can't believe someone in this town has one! Anyway that made me think of you Amy. I hope they catch it soon, I hope you and your family stay safe!
Piggly Wiggly? Seems you would need to do more than post a sign at a grocery store. I would call someone in authority to have it checked out. Those poor baby tigers going to anyone wanting a tiger. DUMB people!
Theresa Momma-I realize this may not be feasible, but I am wondering if an animal protection group would intervene for the tiger kittens? Unfortunately, most of these cats sold for pets eventually wind up being put to sleep or shot because keeping a wild animal for a pet is not feasible for most people. I heard on The Montel Show Thursday morning that big cats for sale as pets and for sideshow carnivals and circuses are the third largest illegal-for-profit business in the United States besides drugs and guns. These cats have a horrible fate being mistreated, abused, having their teeth and claws sometimes both pulled, even being trained with fire (when their paws being to be too hot, they "jump" through the hoop or whatever.....) I didn't realize it was such a big problem. I think of tigers as being rare and far and few between but it turns out they are a lot more common than I thought---and intervention is difficult.
Amy, I am hoping they have caught the tiger this morning and the kids can go to school in peace (without fear of winding up as cat chow). How goes the hunt? AJ
STILL loose, Ughhhhh! They just can't seem to catch him!
BTW, I am leaving in a few hours to go out of town until Tuesday, so I won't be making anymore updates. I'll let you know Tuesday if the poor tiger has been caught. Thank you SO MUCH everyone for your concern!
And I thought I had problems with rabid cyotes....
THANK GOD YOU ARE GOING OUT OF TOWN!
Sounds like a good time to go, have a good and safe trip....now wave "bye bye" to the kitty cat....AJ
SO DID THEY CATCH IT YET???!!!
I'm wondering too!!!
C'MON AMY! WE'RE ALL IN SUSPENSE!
Plus, I want to know how your out of town vacation went. I hope you had a good time.
Now, tell us they caught this thing or I swear, I am coming to Fort Polk with a can of Alpo, a bottle of Benadryl (to mix with the Alpo, so kitty will go to sleep) and a net!
AJ
I myslef having been dying to hear from you all weekend about this cat. And about your weekend, hope it was great!
Audrey, ROFL @ Benadryl and Alpo!
No, the kitty cat has not been caught yet. Can you believe it? He is definitely winning this game of hide and seek, isn't he?
We still have the same warning/restrictions according to the Fort Polk TV Channel. He is supposedly still in our area, no changes. I really wonder if they will ever catch it.
I'll let you know! Thanks for asking It means a lot.
I can't believe they have not found it yet.
Wow that is one smart kitty.
I have heard these cats are striped to help with camouflage but my goodness!!!!
Just a thought:
What if the person who let it go caught it again? Just a thought. Might be worth checking and seeing who in the area has been known to have a large pet!
But I am sure if I thought of that (civilian housewife in GA) somebody in Fort Polk has already checked into it.
Maybe it was some type of "practical joke". Someone lets the tiger out for a few days, causes a stir and then catches it and puts it back in the cage. Or maybe it got loose and the owner is embarrassed/ashamed/afraid to acknowledge that they caught it and brought it home?!
I am just trying to think of a better scenerio then the darn thing wandering throughout the military post and nearby communities.
I'm off to SAM'S WAREHOUSE to buy massive quantities of "Tiger Chow". If it's a girl, I'll name it "AMY" (after our friend here) if it's a boy I'll name it "GI JOE" because it was found on a military base.......how long does it take to drive from GA to Fort Polk?????? :-)
Seriously, I do feel sorry for the tiger and they are beautiful creatures but please be safe. As much as we love the "kitty cat" ---- Humans come first!!! AJ
STILL not caught? I am so shocked!
Man, can't they just call out "heeerrre KITTY KITTY KITTY!"? Or go "Pssstt Pssst!" Get's my cat every time!! Madison could catch it... she is like Elmira from Looney Toons with our cat!! Hope it's caught soon!!
Hey.
I don't mean to "beat a dead horse" (or should I say tiger!) LOL
But every once in a while, especially when I see Amy's name on the Board, (like with the presidential poll question) I have nightmarish visions in my head of a tiger roaming through the woods!
How is all of that going? Did the owner come back and get it or did the military get it or what? I am hoping for good news. At first, I kinda felt badly for the tiger and was hoping for a happy ending but this has gone on so long now I am starting to become appreshensive that the tiger may get too hungry or too scared (not used to being "out") and there could be a tragedy. Do you have an update?
Is the military still guarding the school?
AJ
I am SO sorry that I didn't post an update. I have been seriously scatter brained lately.
The tiger has not been caught. But the military has called off active searching, saying that it has not been spotted in a week, so they are assuming it is not in our area. I hope its not just that the tiger has gotten better at hiding!
Thanks for your concern AJ!
That doesn't seem reassuring enough. Is there a "wild" area nearby the tiger might have found?
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