Authorities have arrested a Texas woman and charged her with a misdemeanor count of animal cruelty involving a non-livestock animal for keeping a fully grown tiger in deplorable conditions in an abandoned house.
The male tiger — known as Raja — was discovered in the garage of a Houston property in February, and reported by a concerned citizen.
After an investigation into the guardianship of the animal, police arrested 24-year-old Brittany Marie Garza, who was later released from the Harris County jail on a $100 bond.
A Lady Freethinker petition urging authorities to investigate this case and prosecute the person responsible has garnered more than 26,000 signatures to date. While Garza’s arrest is a step in the right direction, we need to keep pushing to ensure she is prosecuted appropriately.
SIGN: Justice for Tiger Left Imprisoned in Cage in Abandoned House
While it’s not illegal to own a dangerous wild animal in Texas, animal welfare guidelines do exist.
A veterinarian who performed a health check stated that the approximately 18-month-old big cat had stunted muscles due to being shut in a small area for long periods.
Confined in a small wire cage, the tiger had no access to food, water or even light. According to an affidavit, the hay he rested on was mixed with “layers of trash, feces, urine, and rotting meat.” Mold, as well as maggots and other insects, was also present.
The big cat is now in the experienced hands of the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas, where he has settled in remarkably well. With space to move, appropriate nutrition and care, the outcome for this beautiful boy is a positive one.
However, there are still an estimated 5,000-7,000 tigers living in captivity in the U.S., most of whom will suffer for their entire lives.
While 35 states have passed laws regulating the private possession of dangerous animals, there is no nationwide legislation to manage this serious issue. However, the federal Big Cat Public Safety Act, which seeks to address this, is currently on the table with Congress.
Starve and lock up this horrible woman now!
USA is fueling the ILLEGAL ANIMAL TRADE! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! DISGUSTING!
Please make sure Brittany Garza receives appropriate consequences for imprisoning a tiger in a tiny cage. She needs to learn this is no way to treat an animal. Please prosecute for serious animal abuse.
put the bitch in a cage
She should go to jail for 18 months. The entire time she kept the poor tiger in a cage. And her cell should be the same size, proportionately to the tigers cage. She should lay in feces with and no light, so she understands the hell she inflicted on this wonderful animal. I am endlessly shocked by what HUMAN ANIMALS DO. Non human animals are far more advanced mentally than HUMAN ANIMALS are. WE are HOMO IDIOTICA—“man idiot”….not “Homo Sapiens”….
America should be ashamed that they allow this to happen. Their animal welfare laws in certain states are appalling.
This must be outlawed throughout the USA. It’s egregiously cruel to keep a wild animal caged as a pet. Please prosecute this woman to the fullest extent of the law.
This must be outlawed throughout the USA. It’s egregiously cruel to keep a wild animal caged as a pet. Please prosecute this woman to the fullest extent of the law.
Cage her for the same amount of time that she caged the abused, tortured tiger, fine her $500,000, then imprison her for the same amount of time that the tiger was caged. If she can’t pay the fine, make her work it off at minimum wage.
Cage her for the same amount of time that she caged the abused, tortured tiger, fine her $500,000, then imprison her for the same amount of time that the tiger was caged. If she can’t pay the fine, make her work it off at minimum wage.
every one of these SOB that did these horrific acts of cruelty should experience the same treatment they put the animals through…they don’t deserve to live
NEW AND SEVERE LAWS MUST BE PASSED AND THEN ENFORCED FOR ANIMAL ABUSE, TORTURE AND DEATH.
THIS POOR ANIMAL WAS ABUSED AND TORTURED AND THOSE INVOLVED MUST BE PUNISHED. EXOTIC ANIMALS MUST NEVER BE OWNED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THAT MUST BE CHANGED ALSO ASAP TO SAVE LIVES OF THESE POOR ANIMALS.
A MISDEMEANOR count of animal cruelty ?!?
This idiot woman needs to be locked up in a tiny cage for a few years.
That would be justice.
Yeah, Texas is living up to the reputation of animals cruelty and canned hunts.
Tigers are and endangered already without the idiot humans making the lives of those remaining worse.
Long jail for this woman after she is kept in the same small cage!
This woman must be put in the same cage that the tiger was kept in. This jerk woman must live in this cage for a month! Then she goes to jail for a long time!!!
I met a couple from Texas while traveling through Europe was stunned to learn from them that Texas has many of these “game farms” where wealthy people can go and hunt wild exotic animals. This was a few years ago, but I doubt anything has changed. They are not advertised, but are known to sick people who love to do this kind of crap. So I am not surprised to see this animal locked in a cage in a garage in the great state of Texas.
Sadly, Texas is well known for their farms, and canned hunts.
I wish there was something to do, but money talks.
Go going, Texas. Can’t you find another way to make a living?
I am delighted to learn that Raja is being cared for appropriately. I would like to own a tiger, but every thinking person knows that a tiger is not a house pet and to keep one caged is to deprive him of life he is meant to live. Let tigers be tigers and let them have what they need to be their appointed part of the Creation. Personally, I would like to see federal law regarding ownership of the big cats, and other “wild” animals, including elephants and that law should prohibit ownership unless totally adequate and appropriate accommodations for the animals is provided. Then, we could monitor the black market on these beautiful creatures and prosecute them evenly and severely for breaking the law. The FBI would be able to protect the tigers, lions, bears, etc. That, too, should eliminate the cramped, cruel, inappropriate circuses and roadside amusement attractions from maintaining wild/exotic animals in their show-for-profit enslavement cages. Eliminate cages. They cats should roam. I am so happy for Raja. I hope he lives a long and happier life as the beautiful tiger he is and is meant to be.
ZVIERATA SU AKO LUDIA – CITIA ROVNAKO RADOST, BOLEST, LASKU I SMUTOK. TO, ZE VYZERAJU INAK AKO MY NEZNAMENA, ZE SA K NIM BUDEME SPRAVAT AKO K VECI! AJ ZVIERATA MAJU SVOJE PRAVA! A KTO IM UBLIZI, NECH JE ROVNAKO POTRESTANY!
It is abusive and cruel to keep any animal uder such terrible conditions. Sadly, to release the young owner/offender on $100 bond shows the police/prosecutors are not seriously handling this tragic case. The female owner should have been held indefinitely in the same filthy cage.
She should be charged with, and convicted of, a felony. Then, she should be imprisoned in a small cage for the duration of her sentence, with no early out.
Cruelty needs to STOP!
Diese Person verdient die höchste Strafe für das was sie diesem armen Tieger angetan hat
WTH??? She only got a 100.00 fine? seriously??? she should be locked up in a cage like that poor tiger was!!
wth!! seriously? 100.00 fine? there is something wrong with this picture! she should be in a cage like that poor tiger! let her see how it feels!
She needs locked away for years!
This b*tch got off easy, $100 bond. This misfit is a danger to all manner of life, including humans and “it” should be locked up in a mental institution. What kind of so-called human do horrible things, such as this, to animals? This is a wild animal that needs to be left alone to live in the wild not in cages.
Wild animals are not pets. It is cruel and stupid to hold these magnificent animals in cages – they need to be free!
Poor animal.
$100 bond??!??!
This is crazy. The monster belongs in a cage not the tiger.
All wild animals should remain in their own habitat and should not be in private homes..That should be against the Law and sanctioned..
Free these tigers to an sanctuary, or back to the wild. Tigers need to be in their own environment. Shame keeping these tigers in small cages. No one should own wild animals.
$100 bond is not appropriate for the disgraceful way this woman treated this tiger. Put her in jail and throw away the key. Barbaric!!!!!
HOW do these IGNORANT people still walk the street??? It’s because our pathetic justice system does NOT have the guts to really punish them because of their lack of compassion. To them an animal is property or an object, not a living being with feelings. Being “peaceful” in comments and actions is the reason why this BS keeps happening and the perpetrators keep getting away with it. STAND UP FOR INNOCENT ANIMALS AND START PUNISHING THE GARBAGE INFLICTING ABUSE AND CRUELTY!!!! GET A BACKBONE YOU IDIOTS!!
Lock that woman in a tiny cage and leave her there.
So cruel. Make examples of these vile cretins. Give them the death sentence.
How is it that there are 5000-7000 tigers living in miserable captivity in the U.S.? How and why is this permitted? What is wrong with us?
Despicable that these animals are allowed to be owned by any human. What is wrong with Texas? This depraved Inhumane woman needs to be charged and put away for a long time. What a truly despicable excuse for a human.
I can’t understand why someone would keep an animal caged up like this in their garage. Does this owner have some mental instability, or perhaps is just a sadistic, sociopathic son of a bitch. Either way, this animal has suffered beyond belief, and the owner gets a slap on the wrist. Laws need to be tougher than this. Shameful.
This women needs to get punished and jail time
I’M GO GLAD THAT THE TIGER HAS BEEN RESCUED BUT WITH THAT SAID LAWS MUST BE PASSED TO STOP PRIVATE CITIZENS FROM EVER OWNING EXOTIC ANIMALS. WHY DID THIS WOMAN WANT TO OWN AN TIGER AND AS YOU CAN SEE SHE DIDN’T EVEN TAKE CARE OF IT’S BASIC NEEDS. SHE SHOULD BE PUT UNDER THE JAIL FOR WHAT SHE DID TO THIS POOR TIGER. HUMANS ARE REAL SICKOS AND THIS WOMAN SURE IS……………
Sentence this horrible woman to live in those filthy conditions in that horrible little house. 🐯😡😠🤬
Really?! $100 bail? Nothing will happen to this horrible woman and she tortured this poor tiger. God help any children she has now or in the future.
This woman must be absolutely crazy. Put her in there with all the muck.
Can’t we just send all animal abusers (whether knowingly or stupidly cruel) including poachers, trophy hunters and every other evil creepy person to a completely deserted far away island forever?
And along with them the employees of BLM that want to kill or harm our wild horses and burros?
Along with them Fish & Wildlife personnel who are ready to kill to solve a problem?
I have completely had it with all of them!!!
Are these people completely stupid?