Sheba the Tiger Euthanised for Public Safety, South Africans Want the Owner Held Accountable: "Owner Must Pay"

• Sheba the tiger's days of roaming Johannesburg South streets are over as she has been euthanised
• The eight-year-old tigress was put down out of concern for public safety after she killed an animal on a farm
• South Africans are saddened by the young tiger's death and hope the owner will be held accountable for the damage caused by Sheba

JOHANNESBURG - The eight-year-old female tiger that has been terrorising Johannesburg South residents has been found and put down for public safety.

Sheba escaped from her enclosure over the weekend and caused havoc while she roamed around the streets of Walkerville.

The tigress was found after she entered Arboretum Farm at Walkers Fruit Farms on Wednesday, January 18 and killed one of the domestic animals on the farm, according to News24.

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Community Policing Forum (CPF) representative Gresham Mandy stated they received reports about the tiger at around 1:55am. Sheba had entered the farm area dwellings that houses six people.

CPF responded to the call and began tracking the tiger and found the wild animal near one of the houses on the farm.

Mandy explained the decision to euthanise Sheba was not easy but they had to consider the safety of residents in the area.

"This was not an easy decision to make at the time and the safety of the community of Walkers Fruit Farms was a priority," said Mandy.

Sheba attacked a man who is planning to sue

In addition to killing a domestic animal, Sheba mauled a 39-year-old William Mokoena, a pig and two dogs that had to be put down due to the severity of their injuries.

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Speaking on eNCA, Mokoena stated that he plans to take legal action against Sheba's owner. Mokoena explained he had just come from the shop when he was attacked.

The man added that he put the food down momentarily to tie his shoes when the wild animal pounced on him.

South Africans react to Sheba being euthanised

South Africans were left unhappy by the news that Sheba had to be put down. Some people found it unfair and believe she could have been tranquillised and rehomed.

Many others want Sheba's owner to be held accountable and pay for the damage caused by the young tiger. Here are some comments:

@TforTsabello said:

"Laws should be tightened. Wild animals belong in protected areas or national parks to roam freely in their own habitat. A tiger should be in Asia, not Africa."

@DlaminiLux said:

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"Now the owners must face consequences. Let's cook now."

@AngelConradie said:

"So, what action is being taken against the owner of Sheba, for keeping a tiger? Surely it's not legal?"

@maymoena123 said:

"Shame, he can't go home on his own. It's loadsheding, he can't see in the dark. Also, the crime rate is too high for him to roam the streets during loadsheding."

@hamburgerfranky said:

"They didn't have to do my girl Sheba like that. Angikho right."

@Liz65251060 said:

"Why couldn't they have sedated and relocated her? She killed an animal to eat. This just shows the perils and cruelty of keeping exotics where they don't belong!"

@Judes2103 said:

"The owner must pay all the costs for the search as well as the medical bill for the injured man plus the vet account. Also, be accountable for having a tiger on the premises with a flimsy fence."

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Escaped tiger Sheba back on the Johannesburg streets after brief visit home inspiring #GoSheba online

In a previous report, Briefly News previously reported that Sheba, the missing female tiger, seems to be enjoying her time out on the town. The big cat briefly returned home in the early hours of Tuesday morning, January 17, before escaping again.

According to the owner, the tiger returned to the property in Walkerville, Johannesburg South at around 4am, but ran away before she could be closed in, IOL reported.

But as the search continues, the tracking team say they are confident that they know the area that Sheba is stalking. The tracking team believes that the big cat will be caught on Tuesday given that Sheba has already returned home once.

Source: Briefly News