Nevada Man Faces Arrest as 7 ‘Emotional Support’ Tigers Are Taken from His Home

Seven tigers were taken from a Nevada man’s house on Wednesday, and he claimed that the animals were his “emotional support animals.”

Karl Mitchell was detained on suspicion of resisting arrest after authorities stormed his Pahrump residence on Wednesday morning.

According to officials, Mitchell, 71, broke several laws over the years and lacked the special circumstances animal permit that Nye County required in order to acquire the animals.

“We have received information over the years that he has been seen walking the tigers loose around the property, off the property, in the desert,” Sheriff Joe McGill stated. “There have been social media posts from him with people interacting with the cats, which is also in violation.”

Since the tigers are his emotional support animals and there is no risk to the public, Mitchell stated that he did not require permissions.

Mitchell also claimed to have “rescued” the large cats from “Tiger King” Joe Exotic, the Netflix star and former Oklahoma zookeeper who was found guilty in a murder-for-hire case involving Carole Baskin, an animal welfare advocate. He has been sentenced to 21 years in prison.

According to a report from the sheriff’s office, Mitchell first accompanied deputies on their patrol around the site on Wednesday, but he refused to give up the keys to the tiger cages so a veterinarian and wildlife refuge staff could examine and seize them.

According to the sheriff’s office, the seven tigers were taken from Mitchell’s house and examined by a veterinarian who was present when they were taken out.

“To an undisclosed sanctuary where they will be held until ordered to be released,” the statement stated, the cats would be transported.

According to court records dated as recently as 2020, Mitchell and Nye County had a back-and-forth in which the county asked Mitchell to remove animals from his property and Mitchell responded with lawsuits seeking more than $1 million in damages.

The county “has intentionally interfered” with Mitchell and his wife’s “business and private life” and caused them great grief “due to the threat of the County taking what the County has recognized as their emotional support animals,” according to a lawsuit they filed in 2020.

The sheriff’s office said Mitchell was booked into the Nye County Detention Center in Pahrump on charges of resisting a peace officer.

Due to his prior felony conviction, deputies also discovered a handgun in his possession, which led to a charge of possessing a firearm by a prohibited person.

Officials claimed Mitchell was freed that same day on $6,000 bond.

More charges could be brought soon, McGill said, adding that several of the animals “visibly appeared to be underweight” and that algae was growing in some of their water dishes.

According to Brian Kunzi, the district attorney for Nye County, his office “has not received any report or request for prosecution” regarding Mitchell.

According to court documents, Mitchell is scheduled to appear in court on May 15.

This information has been sourced from NBC News.