Loose Tiger? Not In This Jersey Shore Town, Police Say

JACKSON, NJ — No, there is no tiger loose in Jackson Township, police there said Wednesday morning.

The police department issued a statement Wednesday in response to a video they said was circulating on social media "regarding what is being reported as a possible loose tiger," the department said.

"It has been confirmed there is NOT a tiger on the loose within the township," the police department said.

"Furthermore, Great Adventure confirmed all their animals are accounted for within their facility," Jackson police said. "Please do not call 911 and tie up emergency lines and telecommunicators regarding this."

It's unclear where the video was circulating or what it shows. A search of TikTok, Instagram and Facebook did not turn up any videos of a tiger on the loose more recent than late August.

There was an incident in 1999 where a tiger got loose from the private property of Joan Byron-Marasek, also known as the "Tiger Lady."

The tiger eventually had to be shot and killed after efforts to tranquilize it failed, according to an NJ.com report. Byron-Marasek denied the tiger came from her compound though DNA tests showed it was related to her animals.

She was forced to give up the tigers in 2003 and they were moved to a sanctuary in Texas, that report said.