re: The reason Mike will no longer get into his cage

Oh, ok. Carnivores that ignore meat, gotcha.

So, you put someone from California via Maryland in charge and are surprised that our tiger is now a vegetarian who likes yoga and kale smoothies.

I'll bet the Memphis trainer is a good ole boy-- let's hire him for the job.

I wish they would leave Mike alone. I see no need to haul him to the Stadium. If you want to see him, go visit his enclosure.
No one that is working with Mike is a hard core animal rights person. They want to put the humans in cages and let the animals run free.
If you ever think we are going to get another Tiger after Mike VI, you better make sure that you treat him right.

Yeah, I may be wrong, but I definitely sense "friction" between the AD and VetSchool/Baker over the issue of Mike.

Response from PR director Vet school:

quote:

---

Thank you for contacting us with your concerns about Mike VI. Let me first assure you that we understand how important tradition is to LSU fans, and many like yourself consider Mike’s presence on the field on game days to be a vital part of LSU’s pre-game festivities. That being said, we also know that Mike’s safety and well-being are also of paramount importance.

Mike has not loaded into his trailer for any home games this season, instead preferring to remain in his enclosure. Dr. Baker and Mike’s veterinary student caretakers cannot and will not force him into his trailer, and he cannot be enticed into the trailer. Non-domestic animals are behaviorally different from domesticated animals. Though Mike was raised in captivity, he is still a non-domestic animal. Unlike most domesticated animals, tigers respond poorly if at all to coaxing with food or other treats. When something is out of the ordinary, such as on a game day, Mike becomes extremely cautious; thus, food treats are ineffective motivators. Mike will never be sedated or drugged in any way in order to make him go into the stadium, and to do so is illegal.

Mike’s caretakers regularly load him into his trailer throughout the summer just to keep him used to it. During these practice loadings, he readily enters his trailer. He has only refused to load on game days. Many have asked what is different about game days, such that Mike prefers not to load. It’s always difficult to know what an animal is thinking but one obvious difference is the level of noise around his enclosure. Mike does not like loud noises, including music. Loud music is normally played in front of the PMAC on game days as part of the day’s entertainment. Mike’s caretakers suspect that the loud noises discourage him from loading. However, even on days when his caretakers attempt to load him before the music begins, he often refuses to load, suggesting that there may be other environmental factors of which his caretakers are not aware. Tigers are secretive, forest dwelling animals; people may live around them their entire lives and never see one simply because tigers prefer not to be seen. Because Mike is a very confident, interactive tiger raised by caring people, he does not mind the crowds themselves. In fact, he appears to prefer the company of people. Once in his trailer, Mike quickly relaxes, and his behavior on the field clearly indicates that he is not stressed. However, forcing Mike into his trailer could be stressful, and could cause him to react aggressively and break a tooth or cause other self-injury. Mike has an excellent personality. His caretakers want to do everything possible to preserve it, both for his health and for the safety of those who care for him.

As LSU fans, we all want championship teams and a magnificent mascot. LSU won’t always win, and Mike may not always be present on the field, but neither of these things truly lessens the might of our university or the love fans feel for both.

Ginger Guttner, APR Director of Public Relations School of Veterinary Medicine Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-9922 office ginger@lsu.edu www.vetmed.lsu.edu

---

The Vet School wouldn't need a Public Relations director if we could just get Mike's butt in to the stadium.

They should use a female tiger spray scent to get him in the cage or use a female tiger decoy?

that was funny

If the fireworks bother him, and nothing will be done about the fireworks, I say let Mike stay where he's most comfortable.

I haven't read all 10 pages, but has it been suggested the handlers try to load him say @ 10AM?