Veterinarian says tiger from kennel raid doing better

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A Bengal tiger seized during a raid on a southwest Missouri kennel seems to be faring better in her new temporary home at the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, a zoo veterinarian said.

The tiger -- named Sheena -- has been cleaned up and is gaining weight. On Monday morning, she appeared content as she pawed through cereal boxes containing meatballs.

"She's doing very well. She's a sweetie," said zoo veterinarian Erica Wilson.

Authorities plan to move Sheena to the National Tiger Sanctuary near Bloomsdale, about 50 miles south of St. Louis, today.

Last week, authorities removed Sheena, 208 dogs and a house cat from J.B.'s Precious Puppies in Seneca after reports of unsanitary conditions and neglect. Operator Margaret J. Bond, 66, faces two charges of misdemeanor animal abuse, one of which stems from her alleged neglect of the tiger.

Bond has denied the allegations.

Under Missouri law, people can keep tigers as pets provided they notify local law enforcement. John Coffman, the legislative director for the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation called it "a vague and unenforced statute."

Organizations and zoos have warned that the state has become a haven for the sale and ownership of exotic animals because of loose restrictions.

State Rep. Mike Sutherland, R-Warrenton, has renewed efforts this year to pass legislation that would impose regulations for individuals who own large carnivores. His bill contains an array of measures designed to ensure large carnivores, including those kept as personal pets, are registered, cared for and properly maintained.

Missouri's eight adjoining states have passed similar legislation or legislation that bans private ownership outright.

Mike Crocker, superintendent of the Dickerson Park Zoo, said most owners probably cannot properly care for such animals.

For example, the zoo keeps two Malayan tigers in a building with four to five indoor and outdoor stalls, along with an outdoor space that is between 60 and 80 feet deep and about 200 feet wide, Crocker said.

Wilson, who was at the Seneca operation when authorities removed the tiger last week, said she was kept in an indoor and outdoor cage area that measured about 20 feet by 20 feet.

Also, the zoo feeds its tigers a commercially prepared beef product and sometimes fish. The cost runs about $1.14 per pound, and a large tiger can require between 10 and 12 pounds of the product per day.

Bond, the tiger's owner, told The Joplin Globe on Monday that she fed Sheena frozen chickens and cat food. She said she fed the tiger all she could eat, but that the tiger always was on the slim side.

"I loved the tiger dearly," she said.