A Houston mother is facing charges of child endangerment after investigators discovered a whole menagerie of exotic animals in her home ― including three tigers.
Besides the tigers, Houston Police Department officers said they saw several other wild animals, including a cougar, a skunk and a fox, roaming freely in the home of Trisha Meyer, 34, according to local station KPRC TV.
Advertisement
Meyer’s 14-year-old daughter also lived in the home with the animals, police said.
Investigators first got wind of Meyer’s alleged animal activities in August when a California man accused her of promising to sell him an exotic Savannah kitten for $3,000, according to documents filed in Harris County court.
The man reportedly made two $1,500 payments, but the animal never arrived.
Meyer was renting the home from property owner Bihn Truong, who was apparently unaware she had turned the home into a zoo until police contacted him.
“She only stayed there for three weeks before I found out,” Truong told the Houston Chronicle. “I don’t know how someone can put that much damage in three weeks.”
Meyer ran off to Las Vegas with animals in tow after being booted out of the property she was renting, according to the Chronicle. From there, she fled to nearby Pahrump, her hometown.
Advertisement
On Nov. 7, she was finally arrested and her tigers were confiscated. Police said Meyer had permits for the tigers, but none of the other exotic animals.
She has been charged with child endangerment and is being held on a $2,000 bail in Nevada’s Nye County Jail, according to KPRC.
She is also facing felony theft charges for the Savannah cat that she never delivered to the prospective buyer.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.