Missing Houston Tiger Found Safe and Sound

A tiger that was been seen wandering around a Houston neighborhood last week was found, Houston Police said.

The tiger, named India, appears to be unharmed, Houston Police Department Commander Ron Borza said Saturday evening.

On May 10, Houston Police tweeted that a "male owner was seen escorting the tiger to the residence then putting it into his vehicle ... the male, with the tiger, then fled at a high rate of speed. Responding HPD officers attempted to pursue the vehicle but lost sight of it a short time later."

The male, who police say is 26-year-old Victor Cuevas, is currently in police custody — he had previously been out on bond for a separate murder charge from 2017, CBS News reports.

Borza identified Georgie "Gia" Cuevas as Victor Cuevas' wife and India's owner. Borza said a friend of Gia Cuevas' tipped off police about the tiger's location around noon Saturday and Gia Cuevas surrendered the tiger to police.

Victor Borza said that while police are not sure where exactly India was all week, "Gia knew where the tiger was at all times." He said that India had been in the custody of multiple people between Tuesday and Saturday night. 

Victor Cuevas' lawyer, Michael Elliott, has claimed multiple times that his client is not India's owner, KHOU-TV reports. Borza, however, said that police believe he owns the tiger with his wife. 

During the Saturday press conference, Borza said he was told by Gia Cuevas that it was Victor Cuevas' tiger and

Borza said he believes the couple owns the tiger together.

"That's what I was told by her, and she's the wife of Victor, and she says they've had that animal for nine months," Borza said.

The tiger was picked up Sunday morning by Black Beauty Ranch, an animal sanctuary in Texas, which will provide him with a half-acre habitat after he is adjusted to his new environment.

Here are a few clips from when the tiger was first located by an off-duty officer in a Houston neighborhood. Shortly after, police say Victor Cuevas put the tiger in his car and sped off.