Visitors allowed to stroke tiger

Mr Elder with Sonya the tiger and a visitor

The USPCA has moved against a man who allowed people to be photographed with his pet tiger at the dangerous animals pound he ran for the charity.

When officers arrived to evict Norman Elder from the centre at Benvarden near Ballymoney, one was struck by a van.

Matters came to a head when photographs of visitors stroking Sonya the tiger were posted on the internet.

Police and the ambulance service were called during the operation to remove Mr Elder from the site.

Mr Elder has run the dangerous animals pound at the former safari park for two years with the backing of the USPCA.

He is licensed to keep dangerous wild animals and is contracted by various councils to look after animals they have seized.

USPCA spokesman Stephen Philpott said he was shocked by the pictures.

"The premises here are under the charge of the USPCA and the USPCA believe they are exposed to an unacceptable level of risk with the events that go on here.

"We just decided that we couldn't let it go on any longer."

Mr Elder admitted letting people into the tiger's enclosure but said he had done nothing wrong.

"There is no law against it. There is a safety issue. At the time I felt the tiger was behaving well enough for somebody to go in," he said.

A USPCA spokesman said their member of staff hit by the van was treated in hospital but released later.

"He was bruised but I don't think anything was broken," said the spokesman.

A police spokesperson said they were looking into his injury.

"We received a report that a man had been struck by a van and inquiries to establish the circumstances are ongoing," he said.