HOUSTON – Linda McIngvale, the wife of Jim ‘Mattress Mack’ McIngvale, said she helped with the safe recovery of India the tiger, according to a statement.
The McIngvales operate Club Westside, a “licensed facility with exotic animals” in Houston, and the Cuevas, the owners of the exotic animal, had previously visited as guests of a past member where they became acquainted, per the statement.
Jarred Mears, the animal enforcement manager for BARC, reached out to Linda to see if she knew the Cuevas and could assist in the recovery of the tiger, per the statement.
Linda said she arranged, through the help of the Cuevas’ for the tiger to be located and anonymously delivered, where BARC was on standby to receive.
On Saturday night, Houston police announced that the missing tiger last seen in a Houston neighborhood nearly a week earlier has been located and appeared to be unharmed.
Officials transferred the animal to a BARC animal shelter overnight before being transported to an animal sanctuary on Sunday morning. The Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison will provide a new home for the nine-month-old tiger.
“We are happy that the tiger is now safe and with the sanctuary and appreciate the Cuevas’ help in this matter,” Linda said in the statement.
Here is the full statement released by Linda McIngvale:
At Club Westside we are a licensed facility with exotic animals, and the Cuevas’ had visited as guests of a past member where we became acquainted. I was contacted by Jarred Mears, the animal enforcement manager for BARC with the City of Houston to see if I knew them and could possibly help with the safe return of the tiger. I was able to arrange, through the help of the Cuevas’ for the tiger to be located and anonymously delivered to us where BARC was on stand-by to receive. We are happy that the tiger is now safe and with the sanctuary and appreciate the Cuevas’ help in this matter.