A loose tiger in Conroe, Texas, was captured Thursday morning by animal control officers who are now trying to locate the owner.
Several residents saw the tiger wandering the city and called the Conroe Police Department,
The Houston Chronicle reported. Authorities think the animal is a pet and are searching for its owner.
Jonathan Gessner, 19, and his girlfriend, Erin Poole, were blown away by an encounter with the animal,
KPRC-TV reported.
"She runs up to me, jumped on me and put her paws on my shoulders and just starts licking my face like a dog. I thought it was pretty cool," Gessner told the station.
The 4- or 5-month-old tiger was wearing a collar and a leash when it was captured. A man who identified himself as Cody said her name is Nala but her ownership is up in the air,
KTRK-TV reported.
According to CNN, the tiger, whose front claws have been removed, was evacuated from a rescue farm because of flooding and escaped from the person in Conroe who was holding her.
Mindi Mayfield of Conroe Animal Control said she didn’t believe reports of the tiger and expected to find a house cat.
A city ordinance prohibits residents from harboring dangerous animals, The Houston Chronicle noted. Elsewhere in the state exotic animals are allowed with proper registration and insurance.
The unusual incident drew great attention on Twitter.
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