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A TIGER IN MY WHAT?

© Joy Butler

Years ago, a well-known gasoline ad urged motorists to "put a tiger in your tank". But what about a tiger in your tub? That's how Amara came to live at Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge near Dallas, Texas. She was not the ferocious, stalking tiger we see in movies, but a tiny cub, hiding her face in the corner, hissing, and trembling. Amara was the image of abuse that rescuers at Tiger Creek see daily, one more victim of the exotic pet trade with its lack of laws and regulations.

Tiger Creek workers regularly see these abandoned big cats who were bought as cuddly little cubs by people who never gave a thought to the fact that they would grow up into huge adults with wild instincts very much intact. They see the neurosis of these wild creatures kept in cramped, filthy conditions that sometimes causes the injury or death of their captors. They see these beautiful animals inbred with genetic problems such as hip dysplasia, as is the case with Accolon, a tiger who once belonged to Michael Jackson.

Accolon was one of two of Jackson's tigers sent to the sanctuary when the entertainer's hired tiger handler was seriously injured in a car accident. On a strained budget, Tiger Creek must now grapple with the tragic results of inbreeding in this abandoned cat. Accolon's powerful body requires medication in order to maintain mobility. Jackson's donation was enough to provide a small, temporary pen for Accolon but not enough to provide lifetime medication, costly X-rays, and the large enclosure needed for both tigers.

Yes, they see, firsthand, the suffering of these marvelous animals who are at the mercy of unqualified and indifferent humans; marvelous animals who could, not so far in the future, go extinct in the wild, due to the abuse of mankind. They also look daily into the eyes of these magnificent cats and see true courage and a strong will to survive. They know they must keep striving to give them the best life possible.

The day begins early at Tiger Creek. Before sunrise, loud roars and growls can be heard from the cats, who take feeding time very seriously. They pace and rear up on the wire that contains them and sometimes the growling doesn't stop until their meal is finished. Afterward they may play or snooze. When workers move them into lockdown in order to clean pens, all the big cats rub against trees, making friendly noises, or push into the fence seeking human attention. All, that is, except Amara, who watches from a distance.