Federal officials who saw the video cited Brown for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
They said the tiger in the video “does not respond with normal feline behavior to stimulation.” And that may be due to exhaustion and/or sedation.
They also said that “insufficient physical barriers were present to protect the public and the animal.”
Brown, owner of Zootastic near Lake Norman, told WSOC-TV the animal was just tired from playing and was not sedated.
He said the tiger weighed less than 50 pounds and he believes both the animal and the public were safe.
“He was fine. He was good. He was on a leash. I’m right there with him. We would not let people touch them,” said Brown.
WSOC-TV contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It sent part of its regulations that prohibit the "exhibition of such animals without sufficient distance and/or barriers between the animals and the viewing public to assure the safety of the public and the animals."
About the Author