Several animal welfare organizations and more than 10,000 members of the public are asking the University of Memphis to stop its outdated tradition of using a live tiger mascot at its sporting events.
Forcing the captive animals to entertain stadium fans since 1972, the Tennessee-based university is the only U.S. college to still parade around tigers in front of jeering, chaotic crowds.
Louisiana State University, the only other college in the country to have a live tiger mascot, suspended the tiger’s presence at football games in January 2017 following an escape that resulted in public safety hazards.
Animal welfare nonprofit In Defense of Animals has asked University of Memphis President M. David Rudd to retire TOM (Tigers of Memphis) III, the university’s resident 450-pound Bengal tiger, from attending football games.
The tiger, who just turned 12 years old, is trucked to football games in a $40,000 steel and glass trailer and sits near the south end zone. He also endures fans crowding around his cage to take selfies before and during the university’s “Tiger Walk,” where fans gather on Tiger Lane and march before the start of the game.
Lisa Levinson, the wild animals campaigner for In Defense of Animals, said the university’s tradition of allowing fans to take pictures with the captive tiger sends the harmful message that wild animals belong in cages for people’s entertainment, rather than in their native habitats.
“Forcing wild animals who are very sensitive to their surroundings into crowds of screaming people is stressful and cruel,” Levinson said in a press release. “It’s time to leave TOM III at home, instead of carting him around to attend games.”
More than 10,000 people have signed the nonprofit’s petition to retire TOM III, citing ethical, conservation, and safety concerns.
Marilyn Kroplick, the nonprofit’s president, noted the university already has an alternate mascot — a human in a tiger costume named Pouncer — ready to step into the spotlight.
“President Rudd, this is your golden opportunity to launch an educational and ecologically sound campaign to keep wild animals in the wild,” Kroplick said in the organization’s petition. “Please announce your decision to end the use of live animal mascots, and bring Pouncer to future games while leaving TOM III at home.”
PETA made a similar plea in 2017, after a tiger attack during a Las Vegas magic show highlighted the dangers of using captive wild tigers for entertainment.
“Costumed human mascots can lead cheers, react to the crowd, and pump up the team—all things that a frightened animal can’t do,” PETA said on its website. ““Nothing says ‘Go, team!’ less than an unhappy animal, and as athletes and fans raise a ruckus on and off the field, there’s no reason to subject a real animal to the stress of being a school mascot.”
The Highland Hundred football booster club, an organization representing University of Memphis alumni and Tiger fans nationwide, and members of the Tiger Guard are the licensed caretakers for TOM III, along with his predecessors TOM I and TOM II. The organization’s website applauds TOM III’s size as “worthy of the University he symbolizes” and also justifies the wild tiger’s captivity as a means to educate people.
“His presence presents constant opportunities to educate Tiger fans young and old through the preservation of one of the world’s most recognizable endangered species,” the website reads.
In Defense of Animals said the status of tigers as an endangered species means they’re in need of increased conservation efforts in the wild, not exploitation for entertainment while being deprived of their natural habitats.
The nonprofit noted TOM I lived in a person’s garage in the earliest days of his mascot ‘career.’ TOM II also lived in a private residence for months before being transferred to a park.
Even TOM III — who spends his time away from the football field in a $700,000 enclosure — is denied the space necessary for him to roam and the independence he would have as a tiger in the wild, the nonprofit said.
“Everyone knows big cats don’t belong at loud, crowded football games,” the nonprofit’s petition states. “Don’t let TOM endure another torturous football season. Tell the university to eliminate wild animal attendance from its football games.”
University of Memphis’ President M. David Rudd and the university’s press team did not respond prior to publication of this story.
This needs to stop!
To the University of Memphis President,
Please stop exploiting these majestic animals for your own pleasure. Release them to an approved sanctuary where they can get the care and respect they deserve.
The only thing you’re educating people about is how to exploit and abuse animals. Shame on your crappy school!!
Vous les humains réfléchissez un peu sans tous ces hêtre vivants que sont les animaux ,nous ne serions pas là.
REFLECHISSEZ…………………….
PETA is absolutely right- a human in a tiger costume will do a great job of serving as mascot, voluntarily. A tiger belongs in his natural habitat, not being scared by loud crowds. Retire TOM III!
When are people going to wake up? This is heartbreaking and annoying!!
We humans really need to take stock of what we are doing on this planet. Why is it considered OK to take wild animals, some of them babies, from their families and their natural habitat? What is missing in the soul of the human species that would allow us to continue perpetrating atrocities against Mother Earth and all her earthlings decade after decade? Tigers belong in the jungles, not in cages to be exploited by humans for stupid reasons and where they are miserable and enslaved. It’s time for us to wake up and evolve out of our cruel, ignorant, primitive ways.
We humans really need to take stock of what we are doing on this planet. Why is it considered OK to take wild animals, some of them babies, from their families and their natural habitat? What is missing in the soul of the human species that would allow us to continue perpetrating atrocities against Mother Earth and all her earthlings decade after decade? Tigers belong in the jungles, not in cages to be exploited by humans for stupid reasons and where they are miserable and enslaved. It’s time for us to wake up and evolve out of our cruel, ignorant, primitive ways.
This is blatantly animal abuse!
Dogs are creatures of God, not Satan, and should be treated as such—gifts from God
Dogs are creatures of God, not Satan, and be treated as such—gifts from Hid.
We can afford a tiger. Do u see us owning one?!
You will be judged when you die! Capt Tara Chase
Please end this. It’s cruelty.
people that think this is ok will start fights with people that DONT THINK THIS IS RIGHT they say the tigers are treated great etc etc, leave the wild animals ALONE IT WILL NEVER BE OK
FREE THIS POOR TIGER!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE??>?>?
This sad and sick act must be stopped.
it is high time to send this miserable tiger to an accredited sanctuary. Watching a caged tiger has no educational value, it just teaches cruelty and disrespect towards animals
Please discontinue the practice of using live tigers as mascots. Please allow any tigers you currently have to go to sanctuaries to live out the remainder of their lives. They should not be for our entertainment.
using wildlife in this way is shameful and should be stopped.
STOP ABUSING TIGERS – RELEASE TO A SANCUARY!
There is absolutely no need to use real live animals as mascots. A person in a costume works just fine. Look at all the places that do that. Look at the Disney characters also.
i believe it’s harmful to a tiger to keep him in captivity. I think it would be better if he were in a sanctuary.
Unfortunately you cant persuade stupid behind people who still insist on using animals for entertaining crowds, to do right. Their interests are in money and money alone. Their concerns are not with the animal and what it goes through. You would think by now in 2020 these lame brains would realize the.stress these animals endure having to be forced to perform and constantly be on display dealing with the cheering, noise, and most likely flasing lights of cameras. Cats/felines are especially a breed of animal, where stress can be detrimental to its health. But do that university care,? OBVIOUSLY NOT!. Long as fame and fortune can be made they could care less. Time for these useless laws to crack down on this nonsense. But yet again … oh yeah …. the laws don’t care eirher. Sick laws and sick organizations. I hope and pray animal rights and welfare organizations can put an end to that crap. Sick of it!
This tiger also looks as if he is a product of inbreeding.
An animal suffers for a bullshit sports team? I’d rather see the team and fans suffer!!!
END ANIMAL CRUELTY TOWARDS DEFENSELESS ANIMALS
We can afford a tiger. Do u see us owning one?!
You will be judged when you die! Capt Tara Chase
I grew up Providence RI and used to live near the football stadium. They had a bear as their mascot and if memory serves me correctly-it was a very long time ago-I had ahed time walking by where he was kopek which was basically a cage. . They did laser stop having live bears but it was hard to see that bear in that barren cage all alone.
I have to say I wish the print in this section was darker because it is hard to see and I am a spastic typist. I love this site though.
Forcing wild animals who are very sensitive to their surroundings into crowds of screaming people is stressful and cruel. It’s time to leave TOM III at home, instead of carting him around to attend games. Please send this wild animal to a sanctuary where he can live out the rest of his life in peace.
Allowing wild animals to be paraded around in cages sends the message that they can be caged rather than live free where they belong. The stress of the noise, people and lights is an additional burden to these wild tigers who are kept in enclosures not at all similar to their natural habitats. This is the school’s opportunity to truly lead and launch an educational and ecological campaign by ending the use of live animal mascots and using trained costumed animal mascots in the future. Please rehome your tiger to a natural habitat. Do the right thing. Thank you.
Please set them to a sanctuary they are dieing in there a slow death please I’m begging you
Stop using live tiger mascots . Send the tigers to the centenary and let them live peacefully for the rest of their lives.
Please stop immediately exposing caged wild animals to crowds of people and let these animals roam free at a sanctuary where they belong—not in a cage confined and lonely with no exercise.
Please stop immediately exposing caged wild animals to crowds of people and let these animals roam free at a sanctuary where they belong—not in a cage confined and lonely with no exercise.
Tiger need go free no more in cage need stop I hope someone get tiger need help new home or take care tiger out country help them amen