Reported ‘tiger’ loose in New York was a raccoon

April 12 (UPI) — Police in New York said reports of a tiger running loose in Manhattan turned out to have originated with a far less surprising animal — a raccoon.

The New York Police Department said a 911 call came in about 8:30 a.m. Thursday reporting a loose tiger in Harlem, causing a local Citizen Alert app to notify nearby residents of the unusual predator’s presence.

“Police are responding to unconfirmed reports of a loose tiger running around the street,” the alert read.

Police said a second 911 call reported a potentially rabid feline, but investigators discovered both reports were erroneous — the animal was actually a raccoon.

The Animal Care Centers of NYC said the raccoon was euthanized.

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