Highlands, B.C., man takes tiger home despite new bylaw

A man in a rural community northwest of Victoria has added a new member to his household — Suzie, a two-year-old tiger — despite local council passing a bylaw banning exotic animals in residential homes.

David Bennett from the District of Highlands said the adopted tiger arrived at his home Tuesday night and is happily living in her new enclosure.

"She is at my house now inside her pen and loving it," Bennett told CBC News in a telephone interview.

"I am standing out here right now. I had my morning coffee with her. She's rolling round the gravel on her back there, making noises. It's quite interesting."

Bennett's decision to take the tiger from a wild animal sanctuary in Lake Cowichan met with opposition from Highlands council, which passed a new bylaw on Aug. 25 to ban exotic animals in a home.

The tiger's original owner obtained her as a cub and raised her until she could be sent to a zoo. But, efforts to find her a new home were unsuccessful.

Bennett said he volunteered to adopt the tiger because the other potential adopter wanted to kill the animal and sell her skin and body parts.

Highlands Mayor Mark Cardinal has said council would have to decide how or whether to enforce the new bylaw if Bennett did take possession of the tiger.