Nevada man claims seven tigers are his emotional support animals

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A Nevada man faces charges after officials caught seven tigers from his home. He claims that the animals are emotionally supported pets. Karl Mitchell, 71, was arrested Wednesday on his Pahrump property in a raid by New York County deputies. Authorities said he failed to obtain an animal permit for the appropriate special conditions required to accommodate exotic animals and violated county rules for years. Mitchell was accused of boycotting peace officials and illegal gun possession because deputies also found the pistol. As a convicted felon, he was forbidden from possessing weapons. Despite his arrest, Mitchell claimed that the Tigers were in danger and said he “rescued” them from Joe Exotic, the former Zookeeper who made his debut in Netflix’s Tiger King. He told NBC branch KSNV the cats were his emotionally supportive animals and he did not think it would be necessary to obtain permission. During the raid, Mitchell initially collaborated but later refused to hand over the keys to the cage. The tiger was demolished and sent to shelter at an undisclosed location. Officials said some animals were underweight and the water tray contained algae. He was released on $6,000 bail that day and is scheduled to appear in court on May 15. Additional charges may be filed before the investigation.

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