LSU controversially wheeled a live caged tiger onto the field before their huge clash against Alabama on Saturday night.
For the first time in nearly a decade, a live tiger was part of gameday in Baton Rouge.
Louisiana governor Jeff Landry reportedly led the push to bring back the stunt, which has sparked a furious backlash among some fans and campaigners.
The move also led PETA to issue a statement on Saturday that declared the stunt ‘cruel and dangerous’.
But the 100,000 LSU fans greeted the tiger, which reportedly belongs to a former circus performer who has faced a litany of animal abuse allegations, with a huge ovation.
LSU controversially wheeled a live caged tiger onto the field before their game with Alabama
The 100,000 fans in attendance went crazy as LSU brought back a famous old tradition
Its owner, Mitchel Kalmanson, is accused of failing to properly feed big cats, as well as keeping them in a vehicle with maggots, food waste and excrement. On two occasions, his tigers have escaped, too.
In a statement sent to DailyMail.com, PETA foundation associate director of captive wildlife research Klayton Rutherford said: ‘Trucking a stressed tiger across state lines and cramming him into a clear box in a raucous football stadium is not only cruel and dangerous, it’s also apparently illegal in Louisiana.
‘So it’s no surprise that only a scofflaw showman like Mitchel Kalmanson would do it.
‘PETA has filed an urgent complaint with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries asking it to pursue all available remedies against Kalmanson for this cheap stunt and urges LSU to ignore the bizarre—and unlawful—mandate from Louisiana’s attention-seeking governor and reject the idea of bringing tormented wild animals to games.’
LSU still has a tiger on campus in a $3.7million habitat, which was erected in 2005.
For years, the school would bring the animal to games. But the tradition was stopped in 2015 after an animal reportedly had ‘adverse reactions’ to pregame sights and sounds.
LSU’s official mascot – a tiger named Mike VII – still lives in Baton Rouge but the school will controversially ship in an animal from Florida.
According to Front Office Sports, the new tiger belongs to Kalmanson, who has a long history of allegedly mistreating tigers.
Mitchel Kalmanson (right) has faced a litany of animal abuse allegations over recent decades
Louisiana governor Jeff Landry has been pushing for the return of tigers at LSU games
Kalmanson is linked with the Lester Kalmanson Agency, which provides animals for circuses and zoos and also specializes in transporting exotic wildlife.
According to the agency’s website, Kalmanson has previously provided circus animals throughout the USA, Mexico, South Africa and Europe.
He has also transported – among others – Lions to Paris, Pandas to South East Asia and Russian-Siberian foxes to places around the world.
In 2003 and 2004, according to PETA, his tigers escaped during circus performances.
Then, in 2006, two cubs caught a bone disease after not being properly fed. One died.
A US Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection report claims that in 2015, Kalmanson prevented tigers from taking daily exercise and kept them in a filthy vehicles.
It will reportedly take 10 hours to bring the tiger from Florida to Baton Rouge.
The animal is named Omar Bradley, after the legendary US Army general.
According to the LSU Tiger Athletic Foundation website, ‘LSU has not purchased a tiger since Mike III in 1958, and LSU does not support the for-profit breeding of tigers.
‘By providing a home for a tiger that needs one, LSU hopes to raise awareness about the problem of irresponsible breeding and the plight of tigers kept illegally and/or inappropriately in captivity in the U.S.
‘The tiger habitat and LSU’s animal care plan are licensed by the USDA. The facility, tiger and animal care programs are inspected annually to ensure that they comply with the Federal Animal Welfare Act and other USDA policies and guidelines.’
