FOXSYLVANIA

– – There’s a rather controversial and disconcerting experience that’s becoming quite the rage in some circles; swimming with tigers!

For a fee of $200 for a half hour romp, a private Florida zoo is offering the public a chance to swim, play in the grass, and bottle feed Tony, an eight-week-old tiger cub at Dade City’s Wild Things zoo outside of Tampa, Florida.  Now tigers like Tony are only allowed to swim with visitors until they weigh 40 pounds, and once they hit 25 pounds, must be on leashes.  At least one of the trainers is also in the water with the visitor.  As an option, visitors can also swim with alligators who have had their mouths taped shut.

Some animal rights activists are not amused, finding it abusive and dangerous to the animals’ health since they can be awakened repeatedly for anyone who will “pay to play”…and in Congress, two pieces of legislation are pending that would prohibit the private possession and breeding of big cats.