Don't Try This at Home

13 October 2003


Tigers Aren't House Pets, Except in Harlem

Thanks to the force of synchronicity, tigers were in the news last week, one a story of an unfortunate accident, one of blatant stupidity. The tiger attack on Roy Horn, of Siegfried and Roy fame, was a dreadful misunderstanding according to those in a position to know. Meanwhile, some clown in Harlem, New York City, got busted for keeping a tiger in his apartment, along with an alligator.

During a show in Las Vegas, Mr. Horn tripped while on stage, and in the ensuing confusion, the tiger he was with carried him off-stage, according to his partner Siegfried Fischbacher. Unfortunately, tigers don't have the ability to handle things as gently as the human body demands. Mr. Horn is still fighting for his life. One is inclined to accept the story at face value. For over 4 decades, these men have dealt with tigers, and they are the standard by which other animal acts are judged.

Animal rights activities, naturally, have used this incident for their own ends (indeed, minting cheap political capital at the expense of others is not a right wing monopoly). They argue that the tiger should be able to live out its life in the wild free from human exploitation. These People for the Animalistic Treatment of Ethics don't seem to understand that the tiger is on its way out as a species unless it can form some sort of symbiotic relationship with homo sapiens. The choice is, sadly, between people caring for tigers much as Messrs. Horn and Fischbacher have done and saying good-bye to the tiger permanently. Other options closed off decades ago, and if taking care of them is to be financially possible, some sort of exploitation is going to happen. Keeping tigers is a huge responsibility and not to be undertaken lightly.

Which brings one to the case of Antoine Yates, who thought having a tiger in his apartment in the Drew Hamilton public housing project on Adam Clayton Powell Blvd., New York City, was appropriate, until he got attacked by the cat. Many apartments owned by the NYC Housing Authority are not fit for people, let alone animals that require space and fresh meat. Yet, Mr. Yates had a tiger and an alligator there. The stupidity is mind-numbing, and the danger to the public, to Mr. Yates, and indeed, to the animals is immeasurable. One cannot help but think Mr. Yates should be teetering on the brink of death for poor judgment, rather than Mr. Horn.

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