Once Caged and Abandoned, 2 Tigers Celebrate Anniversaries at Texas Animal Sanctuary

This February, two special tigers are celebrating the anniversaries of their freedom.

After years of living in captivity in cages and backyards, Loki and Elsa are now living much happier and healthier lives at Black Beauty Ranch, a spacious animal sanctuary in Texas.

This inspiring story of animal rescue was shared with Green Matters by Humane World for Animals, formerly known as the Humane Society.

Read on for Loki and Elsa's incredible tales, as well as insight on whether it's ever OK to keep animals like tigers as pets.

Six years ago, in February 2019, a man wandered into the garage of an abandoned Texas home to smoke marijuana, and was shocked at what he found: a male tiger in a small cage.

Fortunately, as NBC News reported at the time, the anonymous informer reported the incident, and Houston’s animal control agency came and took the tiger. He was then named Loki, and relocated to Black Beauty Ranch, a sanctuary in Murchison, Texas, which is part of Humane World for Animals.

Now, as of Febraury 2025, Loki is estimated to be around 7 years old, weighs a healthy 370 pounds, and lives a happy life at the sanctuary.

"Loki has grown into a confident and playful adult tiger," senior director of Black Beauty Ranch Sue Tygielski said in a statement shared with Green Matters. "When he first arrived at Black Beauty he was hesitant and unsure of his large natural habitat. Now he spends his days exploring his wooded forest, relaxing in the lush grass under the trees, or pouncing in his pool."

Four years ago, in February 2021, a 6-month-old female tiger cub was discovered in a cage in a backyard in San Antonio, Texas. She weighed only 75 pounds, was wearing a dog harness, and was suffering amidst frigid winter weather.

As The NY Post reported at the time, the tiger's forehead was rubbed raw from her cramped cage, and she was missing fur due to her harness. The tiger was named Elsa — after the Frozen character — and driven across the state to Black Beauty Ranch.

Now, as of February 2025, Elsa is 4 years old, and thanks to being put on a proper diet, weighs 250 pounds.

"Elsa has flourished and is a frisky tiger who practices her stalking and pouncing skills daily," stated Tygielski. "She is also very curious about her tiger neighbors and spies playfully on Loki, Serenity, and Theodora."

Keeping a tiger as a pet illegal in all U.S. states — Texas included. That's ever since President Biden signed the Big Cat Public Safety Act into law in 2022.

Previously, according H&P Law, individuals could legally have tigers as pets in eight states: North Carolina, Delaware, Nevada, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Alabama, and West Virginia. Additionally, there were 14 states where keeping a tiger as a pet was unregulated.

That said, even if keeping a tiger (or other big cat or exotic animal) is legal or unregulated in your country, you should not keep a tiger as a pet.

Tigers are not domesticated; they are wild animals. They are much happier when living outside in their natural habitats, where they can follow their natural instincts and habits, rather than in a cage in your home or backyard.

Plus, keeping a tiger can be dangerous — as pointed out by The Spruce Pets, tigers are predators, they have immense bodily strength, and they are difficult to tame. It's simply not worth the risk.