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“Ary Borges and his family live in southern Brazil like most families the Borges' love animals and have an array of cats living in their home. The only difference between the cats owned by the Borges family and the cat that is cuddled up on your lap as you read this is the Borges' cats weigh over 700 pounds and could kill you just as soon as look at you. The Borges family shares their home with nine tigers, two lionesses, a chimp and a Chihuahua.

The family is now in a heated battle with the Brazilian government over whether or not they can be allowed to keep their big cats. The big cats share a home with the Borges in an industrial neighborhood where many residents believe it is only a matter of time before someone is fatally injured by one of the family's pets. Federal wildlife officials in Brazil are fighting to take the cats away saying Ary Borges. The officials say Borges illegally bred the animals and by doing so created “a public danger”.

Borges began collecting and breeding big cats in 2005 when he rescued two abused tigers from a travelling circus. Borges says he has the right to breed and care for these animals and believes there is no better home from them than with his family. “Sadly there are so many animals dying in zoos that have no oversight. My animals are treated extremely well ... we're preserving and conserving the species”, Borges said to the Associated Press. “We have a great team of veterinarians. We give them only the best, but we're being persecuted”. – Amanda Schiavo via Latin Times


Dan, a two-year-old tiger, drinks from a nursing bottle held by his caretaker Ary Borges, left, at Borges' home in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. Borges is in a legal battle with federal wildlife officials to keep his endangered animals from undergoing vasectomies and being taken away from him. He defends his right to breed the animals and says he gives them a better home than they might find elsewhere in Brazil. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

Dan, a two-year-old tiger, drinks from a nursing bottle held by his caretaker Ary Borges, left, at Borges' home in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. Borges is in a legal battle with federal wildlife officials to keep his endangered animals from undergoing vasectomies and being taken away from him. He defends his right to breed the animals and says he gives them a better home than they might find elsewhere in Brazil. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)




Ary Borges sits behind his tigers inside a cage at his home's backyard in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. Borges says it all started in 2005 when he first rescued two abused tigers from a traveling circus. He defends his right to breed the animals and says he gives them a better home than they might find elsewhere in Brazil. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

Ary Borges sits behind his tigers inside a cage at his home's backyard in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. Borges says it all started in 2005 when he first rescued two abused tigers from a traveling circus. He defends his right to breed the animals and says he gives them a better home than they might find elsewhere in Brazil. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)




A tiger handler holds out a piece of meat for a tiger named Tom over a swimming pool in the backyard Tom's caretaker Ary Borges in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. To date, they've had no problems with Borges' animals attacking anyone or getting loose. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

A tiger handler holds out a piece of meat for a tiger named Tom over a swimming pool in the backyard Tom's caretaker Ary Borges in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. To date, they've had no problems with Borges' animals attacking anyone or getting loose. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)




The Borges' family pet dog, Little, sits on the back of Tom, as they pose for a photo in their kitchen in Maringa, Brazil, Friday, September 27, 2013. The Brazilian family is now locked in a legal dispute for the big cats, eight tigers and two lions, with federal wildlife officials working to take them away. While Borges does have a license to raise the animals, Brazilian wildlife officials say he illegally bred the cats, creating a public danger. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

The Borges' family pet dog, Little, sits on the back of Tom, as they pose for a photo in their kitchen in Maringa, Brazil, Friday, September 27, 2013. The Brazilian family is now locked in a legal dispute for the big cats, eight tigers and two lions, with federal wildlife officials working to take them away. While Borges does have a license to raise the animals, Brazilian wildlife officials say he illegally bred the cats, creating a public danger. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)




The Borges' family pet dog, Little, is placed on the back of Tom, their tiger, for a photo to be taken, in Maringa, Brazil, Friday, September 27, 2013. The Brazilian family is now locked in a legal dispute for the big cats, they have eight tigers and two lions, with federal wildlife officials working to take them away. While Borges does have a license to raise the animals, Brazilian wildlife officials say he illegally bred the cats, creating a public danger. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

The Borges' family pet dog, Little, is placed on the back of Tom, their tiger, for a photo to be taken, in Maringa, Brazil, Friday, September 27, 2013. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)




A tiger named Tom shakes off water as he swims in a pool in the backyard of Ary Borges, his caretaker in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. Borges, who cares for Tom, eight other tigers and two lionesses, is in a legal battle with federal wildlife officials to keep his endangered animals from undergoing vasectomies and being taken away from him. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

A tiger named Tom shakes off water as he swims in a pool in the backyard of Ary Borges, his caretaker in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. Borges, who cares for Tom, eight other tigers and two lionesses, is in a legal battle with federal wildlife officials to keep his endangered animals from undergoing vasectomies and being taken away from him. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)




A tiger leaps out of a pool inside a cage in the backyard of its caretaker Ary Borges in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. Ibama, Brazil's environmental protection agency that also oversees wildlife, is working through courts to force Borges to have the male tigers undergo vasectomies so they cannot reproduce, confiscate his caretaker license and obtain the cats. Borges appealed and the matter is pending before a federal court. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

A tiger leaps out of a pool inside a cage in the backyard of its caretaker Ary Borges in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. Ibama, Brazil's environmental protection agency that also oversees wildlife, is working through courts to force Borges to have the male tigers undergo vasectomies so they cannot reproduce, confiscate his caretaker license and obtain the cats. Borges appealed and the matter is pending before a federal court. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)




Ary Borges stands with his tiger Tom on a leash in his backyard in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013.  The Borges family is now locked in a legal dispute for the cats, with federal wildlife officials working to take the animals away. While Borges does have a license to raise the animals, Brazilian wildlife officials say he illegally bred the tigers, creating a public danger. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

Ary Borges stands with his tiger Tom on a leash in his backyard in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)




Ary Borges sits with one of his nine tigers in his backyard in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. Borges says it all started in 2005 when he first rescued two abused tigers from a traveling circus. He defends his right to breed the animals and says he gives them a better home than they might find elsewhere in Brazil. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

Ary Borges sits with one of his nine tigers in his backyard in Maringa, Brazil, Thursday, September 26, 2013. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)




Wevellyn Antunes Rocha, from left to right, Maria Deusaunira Borges, Uyara Borges, Nayara Borges (back), Daniella Klipe, Gisele Candido, and Ary Borges gather at the breakfast table with tiger Tom, in Maringa, Brazil, Friday, September 27, 2013.  Ary Borges, who cares for Tom, eight other tigers and two lionesses, is in a legal battle with federal wildlife officials to keep his endangered animals from undergoing vasectomies and being taken away from him. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)

Wevellyn Antunes Rocha, from left to right, Maria Deusaunira Borges, Uyara Borges, Nayara Borges (back), Daniella Klipe, Gisele Candido, and Ary Borges gather at the breakfast table with tiger Tom, in Maringa, Brazil, Friday, September 27, 2013. (Photo by Renata Brito/AP Photo)
04 Oct 2013 11:51:00