Nevada man alleges 7 seized 'emotional support tigers' were Joe Exotic's

A Nevada man is facing charges after he was caught with seven tigers he did not have permits for

claiming they were emotional support animals. And while that might sound wild, he's not totally

off base, at least when it comes to the science behind furry companionship. New research out of

the University of Kent in the UK says owning a pet can boost your happiness just as much as

getting married or scoring a major raise. Think the emotional equivalent of a $76,000 salary

Experts say it's not just about the companionship, it's the stress relief and overall mental well-being that pets can provide

But just to be clear, this study focused on cats and dogs, not large exotic predators

Meanwhile, 71-year-old Carl Mitchell says his tigers were doing exactly that, providing him with emotional support

He claims he rescued them from none other than Joe Exotic, the controversial star of Netflix's Tiger King docuseries

doctors have approved the for me as emotional support animals But according to the Americans with Disabilities Act emotional support animals do not include wild animals

like tigers. Local authorities tell News 3 Las Vegas they've known about the tigers for at least two years

after video surface online showing people interacting with them. Last Wednesday, it all came to a head

A SWAT team raided Mitchell's property in Nevada, seizing the tigers and accusing him of resisting arrest and refusing to turn the animals over voluntarily

He previously owned a company called Big Cat Encounters more than two decades ago

where he trained tigers for film. Back in 2019, Mitchell did win an appeal to legally keep the tigers

but under strict conditions, like not being allowed to exhibit them. But that permit expired in 2022, and authorities say he no longer had the legal right to keep the big cats

Reports also revealed the tigers were underweight and had algae growing in their water dishes

They're now being cared for at an undisclosed sanctuary. And as for Mitchell, he's scheduled to appear in court on May 15th

I'm Kennedy Felton with Straight Arrow News. Download our app or visit san.com for more