Stuffed toy tiger leads to police call-out
Police in the German city of Braunschweig urgently scrambled a specialist armed response unit and called in a team of wildlife experts equipped with tranquilizer guns when a member of the public reported seeing an escaped tiger in the street. However, upon arrival at the scene the police promptly realised that the tiger in question was in fact a near life-sized stuffed toy and therefore presented no danger to public safety.
"It's better to be safe than sorry,” insisted Sara Faerber, 28, who raised the alarm. “In the half-light it looks just like a real tiger sitting there watching me. I edged backwards and then ran off and expected to feel it leap on my back at any moment. I was really scared.”
The toy was ultimately transported back to the local police station on the lap of an officer. Commenting on the matter, a police spokesperson said that "We'd like to find the owner just to piece together what happened. If we don't, we will probably arrange for it to be donated to a local children's home."
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
