Laredo Border Control contacted us in April of 2022 saying that they had found a tiger cub and needed to find a home for her. This was the same agency that asked us take in Smuggler, Assad, and Zahra. We accepted and drove down to Laredo to pick her up. We were originally told that she was about three months old, but by her size, she was probably closer to two months old. She had been found in a house when the police went in for an unrelated reason. It was obvious that this little girl was familiar with and comfortable around humans, as she was constantly wanting attention. We drove little Minnie home and settled her into our vet clinic for a quarantine period.
Minnie needed no time at all to settle in and get everyone wrapped around her finger… er, paw. She’s an extremely adorable and playful little girl who demands attention, which she freely receives from her fans… erm… keepers and volunteers. She has a particular fondness for shredding paper, but she truly enjoys any enrichment. Toys and enrichment don’t last long with toddlers or tigers but especially with toddler tigers. Minnie’s tend to be dunked in the pool/tub or shredded.
Once she was fully inoculated, we brought Minnie out to a playground so she could experience the larger space that would be her home. She was timid at first, but soon discovered the absolute joy of grass, trees, toys, platforms, logs, and even a pool. Although she was first nervous about entering the pool, she quickly picked up swimming and before long she was splashing around. Soon after her quarantine period ended and she was a bit bigger, she moved out of the clinic and into her permanent enclosure with access to her beloved playground and pool. She shares her home with two grown adult tigers, who model tiger behavior. She has boundless energy and loves chasing golf carts and stalking anyone who walks by. This charming little girl wins over anyone who meets her and she knows it! We adore her playful spirit and feel so blessed to be able to watch her grow up.
