HOUSTON – The tiger that officials said was found abandoned in a Houston home earlier this year has been bestowed a new name.
The Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, which took possession of the 400-pound male tiger when it was found in a southeast Houston home Feb. 11, held a contest to name the large cat. The winner was Loki, which is the name of a god in Norse mythology.
The renaming of the tiger was controversial for the former owner, Brittany Garza. She was charged with cruelty to nonlivestock animals in connection with the case.
Garza said the tiger, which she named Raja, was in the process of being relocated when it was found in the house. She said the animal was never abandoned.
Having bottle-fed and raised the tiger herself, Garza said she wanted the sanctuary to keep the animal’s original name of Raja.
In a statement, officials at the sanctuary, which is an affiliate of the Humane Society of the United States, said the tiger does not recognize that name, and that part of the process of caring for the animal includes giving it a new name.