PETA Wants LSU To Hold That Tiger

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (aka PETA) is an animal rights organization urging LSU not to add another "Mike The Tiger" to its family after the recent death of Mike V.

Big cats in captivity are denied everything that is natural and important to them, such as the opportunity to run, climb, hunt, establish their territory, and choose their mates," Lisa Wathne, of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, says in a letter to school officials.

It took a while, but LSU's answered PETA's complaint with an official response.

LSU stands behind its treatment of its tigers. Their habitat and lifestyle are constantly monitored to ensure their well being, and they receive state-of-the-art veterinary medical care from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, which can improve and extend the life of a big cat. [snip]

Our mascots live in an excellent tiger habitat, far better than most found in zoos. Solitary animals by nature, tigers do not congregate in the wild, and due to the alarming state of their species in the wild – tigers are already critically endangered and their numbers continue to shrink – efforts to maintain the integrity of the species will need to be conducted in captivity. The current enclosure is large enough for Mike to express normal species-specific behaviors, including roaming his enclosure. Captive tigers do not have to fight and risk injury to establish and defend their territories, secure mates, or hunt prey. They are also safe from poachers and are not subject to common and debilitating viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections

In not so many words: LSU has politely told PETA to bug off. Good for them, as you can extrapolate PETA's reasoning about captive tigers to all household pets which is reasoning I simply don't buy given the lengths LSU has gone to accomodate the big cats under their care over the years.

Anyway, here's hoping LSU has a new Mike ready to roar sometime this season. The Tigers are shaping up to be a consensus preseason No. 2 team and a lead contender for the BCS national championship. A new mascot would be a fun side story during the Tigers' potential title drive.