EUREKA SPRINGS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Two Arkansas men are facing hefty fines and prison time after pleading guilty to illegally having a tiger cub.
Fred the tiger cub was sighted in a residential neighborhood in Conway in March 2023. Since then, Keidrick Damond Usifo of Conway and Deon Johnson of Little Rock have pleaded guilty to charges related to illegally possessing and concealing a cub.
“On April 17, 2023, an agent with AGFC was notified that there was a man with a tiger in the backyard of a residence in Conway,” state officials said in a news release. “There was also an anonymous tip posted on AGFC’s page about a tiger cub for sale in Conway. The Big Cat Public Safety Act makes it illegal to privately possess or breed big cats.”
This is the first case under the new law that was introduced in December of 2022.
Fred is now under the care of the Arkansas refuge, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge .
“Fred’s story highlights the ongoing crisis of private big cat ownership in the United States,” said Tanya Smith, President of TCWR. “While Fred’s future is now secure with us, many other big cats remain at risk. This case underscores the importance of enforcing laws like the Big Cat Public Safety Act to protect both animals and people.”