Quirky News
Guard dog with a difference
A South African businessman has got himself some extra protection - a Bengal tiger called Enzo.
The 330lb big cat lives with owner Michael Jamison and his girlfriend Jackie at their home in Brakpan.
They had always wanted a pet tiger - but decided to get one after twice being targeted by armed robbers.
"I feel much safer with Enzo in the house than without him," said Mr Jamison. "I wanted a tiger and then I got one."
One-year-old Enzo is actually a big baby who sleeps with Mr Jamison in his bed, has a cat box and enjoys eating on the kitchen counter.
He gets bottle-fed twice a day as well as consuming around 4kg of meat. He eats rice with chicken or mince alongside the couple's three dogs, with whom he is apparently good friends.
Not long after Enzo arrived, police and officers from the department of nature conservation arrived on their doorstep to check him out.
Mr Jamison added: "Everybody wanted to come and rescue the tiger." However, after officials found nothing amiss, Enzo was allowed to stay.
Update:
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what do you think?
barbara
Enzo may be a 'big pussycat' during the day but what if, at night all cozy in bed with his human, he dreams he's out hunting .....?
Paul Anthony Croft
This guys is nuts! A wild animal in the kitchen? Hope he hasn't got kids.
Rob Shaw
I'll check back on this story next month when I read the headline "Man spoons tiger, looses arm"
VonKlaw
"One-year old Enzo" - gotta love how the tiger will become unruly when he gets abit older, and the owner will probably just expect a zoo to take him.
Russell North
silly guys,its wild,both will be sorry.
stevegs850
Jackie darling,have you seen the jack russell?
Matthew Stoner
You have a point, it says in the report he feeds it 4kg of meat a day, a Jack Russel must be around that weight.....hope he dont forget to feed it.....
Kevin Jennings
Look for the next story featuring Mr. Jamison and Enzo entitled "Pet tiger mauls South African businessman to death".
Drakie Lea Smit
You can take the animal out of the wild, but u cant take the wild out of the animal
Matthew Stoner
Couldn't have put it better myself....
Marie Davis
This guy is nuts! surely he could find another way of protecting his property. Beautifull as the tiger may be ( I would love to hug it myself) he is certainly looking for trouble!!! Not a good idee at all.
Name witheld
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Adam Greenwood
This tiger should be out in the wild not kept as a pet
Donald Lawson
Honey? Honey? Honey? Now where did she go????
Adrian Wagstaff
These stories all have a sad tendency to end in the same way. Even people who try to keep pet chimpanzees sometimes end up being attacked by something which has grown into a gigantic and heavy chimp. Why would someone who is afraid of jewellery shop burglars not be afraid of then putting a 300lb tiger on their kitchen table? ... People always assume the tigers are "domesticated", which is the usual term they seem to use. They only appear to be like that.
Matthew Stoner
"Guard Dog with a difference"....?????.......errr yeah Orange it's called a Tiger, last time I checked, it was a breed of big CAT.......Get a grip.....
Sarah Lovatt
Tiger... and.... Pet.... same sentence.... asking for trouble!! This is a wild animal and thats where it should be...in the wild!!
Chris Sylvester
Spot on Sarah. Glad there are still some sensible people l out there, who care about the animal not the Ego.
ffreem200
This Is bonkers. As much as I am amazed an love big cats such as Enzo this guy is just asking for trouble
Chris Sylvester
Disgusting!!! Wild animals should be left in peace where they belong....in the wild.
Willie Watson
The trouble with a kitten is that eventually it becomes a cat - Ogden Nash
barbara
1:36pm on 15/5/2012
It does beg the question, where does his girlfriend sleep?
Russell North
7:20pm on 15/5/2012
@ barbara "where does his girlfriend sleep" NEXT DOOR with a big ape & out of the way.
Chris Sylvester
8:36pm on 23/5/2012
Who cares! The question should be where will the tiger be in a years time, when this idiot grows up and realizes that this is not the best idea he has ever had.