There are two Bengal Tigers in the Baton Rouge area. Both draw many onlookers; but their homes (and maybe their health) are drastically different. There is also a big difference in their appearance.

Mike the Tiger
Don Rivers
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One of these tigers is Mike the Tiger. The LSU mascot is probably the most pampered and well taken care of animal in Louisiana. He has his own wildlife enclosure with room to run, rocks to climb, stumps and trees, toys and his own pond. Tony the Tiger is in a small cage at a truck stop. He has no room to run, no pond to cool off in, no toys and a completely different personality.

Mike the Tiger knows his name and will sometimes reply with a slight growl when he hears it. Recently my wife and I were visiting Mike on the LSU campus and mike swam across the pond to where my wife was standing on the other side of the glass enclosure. He proceeded to lick the glass right in front of my wife like he was loving on her. It was an amazing moment and where the picture above came from.

Tony the Tiger usually does not even get up to greet visitors. He is very skinny and just seems sad to me. If you visit both of these tigers on the same day and compare them ... you will see what I am talking about.

A bill just cleared a Louisiana House Subcommittee that would allow an exemption to the states exotic animal ownership bill and would allow the truck stop owner to keep Tony the Tiger. Do you think he should be able tom keep Tony at the truck stop?

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