Bosco, a black panther, rests in his cage at SA Zooworld. Despite the initial call that tigers had escaped, the owner claims that he has not had any tigers on the premises in over 3 years. Bosco is one of three panthers that currently reside at SA Zooworld.

STREETS REMAIN SAFE FROM WILD CATS
No Big Cats Escaped Say Local Police (V)

By Tammy Kendall
San Antonio Gazette STAFF WRITER



BEXAR COUNTY- Bexar County deputies are saying false alarm after investigating a report of loose tigers in north Bexar County that prompted the lockdown of a nearby elementary school.


Deputy Chief Dale Bennett said three tigers were reported loose at a home in the 27000 block of O'Kent drive around 7:05 a.m. He said the homeowner does own large exotic cats, but that all three cats were found inside their cages when deputies arrived. There was one empty cage, but authorities were assured it was only used as a back-up, and was not regularly home to any of the cats.


The property is registered as SA Zooworld. The owner has reportedly worked with wild animals for 40 years and has rescued a number lions, tigers, leopards and mountain lions. According to the sheriff's department, he is only permitted to have three large cats on the property.


The sheriff's office was alerted after the owner called a friend, saying he needed help, that the cats were lose. Fearing for his friends safety, deputies said that person then called authorities.San Antonio Zoo officials said they sent three workers -- a member of their shoot team, a veterinarian and a member of their living collections department -- after the sheriff's office contacted them for help in recapturing the tigers. Nearby Timberwood Park Elementary School, of the Comal ISD, was locked down Tuesday morning per the request of the sheriff's office.


Sgt. Valentine Saucedo said deputies thoroughly searched the property but found nothing.


"We've pretty much concluded our search as far as we've determined," he said. "We've gone all over the whole property. We've walked it. We've driven and we've driven around it. We've gone looking, checking in all the trees to make sure they didn't climb up there."


Deputies said the owner of the cats appeared confused.


Late Tuesday Bexar County authorities were back out at the home after saying they received a second call from the owner.
They will be conducting an evaluation on the man before closing the books on this case.


After the second false alarm, he suggested that he became alarmed when he saw the outline of a stuffed bobcat in the dark that he keeps mounted in his living room, and became convinced his cats had escaped.


Despite being assured that all the animals were indeed accounted for, reports of a large bengal tiger heading towards interstate 35 were called in by several anonymous sources.