Missing Bengal tiger found safe and in good health

HOUSTON, Tx. / CNN — A Bengal tiger that went missing after a bizarre incident in Houston last week “has been found and appears to be unharmed,” Houston police announced Saturday night.

Houston Police Commander Ron Borza said in a Saturday night news conference Victor Hugo Cuevas and his wife Gia are the owners of the tiger.

Cuevas was out on bond for a murder charge in Fort Bend County and was previously charged with murder for allegedly shooting and killing a man in 2017.

After being seen running away from law enforcement with the tiger in a white SUV, Cuevas was taken back into custody and his bond was set at $50,000, police said.

Saturday night the animal was anonymously surrendered at a tennis club in Houston after Cuevas’ wife received a phone call from the person who had the tiger, Michael Elliott — Cuevas’s attorney — said.

“I let Gia come along with us… because of the stress the tiger’s been through for the last couple of weeks. He was obviously agitated,” Borza said.

He added that the tiger “appears to be in very good health” and that Gia Cuevas informed authorities they have had the animal for nine months. She is not facing any charges at this time, Borza said, but added it’s illegal to house a tiger within Houston’s city limits.

Authorities say they don’t know where the tiger has been or whether it was in the custody of Cuevas the entire time.

“It is still an ongoing investigation right now,” Borza said.

On Sunday, the tiger was taken to its new home at Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, an animal sanctuary about 200 miles north in Murchison, Texas.

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