He wasn't tripping! Houston stoner breaks into abandoned home to smoke pot and comes face-to-face with a 350lb TIGER

  • Police say someone who went to an abandoned home in southeast Houston to smoke marijuana, ended up discovering a tiger inside 
  • Houston Police Department's Major Offenders, Livestock Animal Cruelty Unit arrived at scene and found a 350-pound tiger inside
  • The cage that kept the animal enclosed was not large or sturdy enough for a creature of that size
  • Home was abandoned but several packages of meat were found with the animal 

A man who broke into an empty Texas home to smoke marijuana ended up coming face-to-face with a caged tiger.

The 350lb tiger was found in Houston in the Harrisburgh/Manchester area of the city. 

An anonymous tipster contacted the city's authorities to let them know about the unusual find and said that at first they believed they were hallucinating when they first saw the big cat.    

The tiger was tranquilized so he could be transported to an animal shelter temporarily before being moved to his permanent home at Black Beauty Ranch

Police say someone who went to an abandoned home in southeast Houston to smoke marijuana, ended up discovering a tiger inside

Houston Police Department's Major Offenders, Livestock Animal Cruelty Unit arrived at scene and found a 350-pound tiger inside

Houston Police Department's Major Offenders, Livestock Animal Cruelty Unit arrived at scene and found a 350-pound tiger inside

The tiger was found in a 'rinky-dink' cage in the garage, which was not locked, police said. 

The garage had been secured with a screwdriver and nylon strap, according to the  police.

'It was a pretty small cage inside basically a garage in a house that didn't look like it was in the best shape. So it was important that we get it out of that situation,' Lara Cottingham, with the city of Houston, said.

Animal welfare officers found the tiger on Monday and called the Houston police in order to secure a warrant and remove the tiger.

The home was abandoned but several packages of meat were found with the animal

The home was abandoned but several packages of meat were found with the animal

The tiger was tranquilized in order to move it out of the house, officials said.

The animal was be taken to an animal shelter temporarily before being moved to a permanent home.  

'There's an incredible network all across the United States and here in Houston and here in Texas. It's just finding the right combination and then transporting,' Cottingham said to Click2Houston.

In a statement, the Houston Zoo said it will not be able to take the tiger. 

The cage that kept the animal enclosed was not large or sturdy enough for such a creature of that size so it had to be taken away

The cage that kept the animal enclosed was not large or sturdy enough for such a creature of that size so it had to be taken away

The man told police he thought he was hallucinating when he first saw the overweight female tiger in the property's garage (Pictured, BARC's Animal Enforcement Officers with the animal)

The man told police he thought he was hallucinating when he first saw the overweight female tiger in the property's garage (Pictured, BARC's Animal Enforcement Officers with the animal)

'The Houston Zoo is aware of the tiger found in southeast Houston today, Feb. 11; however, the Houston Zoo is not involved in this case, and is not receiving the tiger, as incorrectly reported,' it said.

'The Houston Zoo is home to two Malayan tigers, Berani and Satu, and does not have capacity to receive additional tigers.' 

The animal will be taken to an animal shelter temporarily before being moved to a permanent home

The animal will be taken to an animal shelter temporarily before being moved to a permanent home

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