Houston police on Monday are searching for the unidentified man believed to be the owner of the tiger that was caught on camera roaming the streets. The man had been charged with murder in November in Fort Bend County and is free on bail.

"My main concern right now is focusing on him and finding the tiger because what I don't want him to do is to harm the tiger," Houston Police Commander Ron Borza told reporters at a press conference.

On Sunday, the man had corralled the Bengal in his white Jeep Cherokee and fled police.

“Obviously, if you see a Cherokee with a big tiger in it, it’d be good to call us," Borza said.

Police responded to 911 calls at about 8 p.m. Sunday about a tiger that was sitting on a front lawn in a Houston suburb. One caller was an off-duty sheriff's deputy, who attempted to calm the situation before police arrived.

Before police reached the scene, the man, who has been described as a Latino in his late 20s, had reportedly grabbed the tiger by its collar and escorted it back into the home. The man then loaded the tiger into a Jeep Cherokee and fled.

Police were briefly able to track down the vehicle but the man was able to elude police in a chase.

Borza said the man was leasing the home and is believed to also have two monkeys.

In the city of Houston, it is illegal to own exotic animals like tigers. However, owners in portions of Harris County can obtain legal permits.

Sumatran tigers are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with fewer than 400 believed to remain in the wild
Sumatran tigers are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with fewer than 400 believed to remain in the wild GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / JUSTIN SULLIVAN
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