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Mexican environmental and security authorities seized a tiger Friday during an operation at a condominium complex in Puerto Vallarta, where a foreign resident was detained amid allegations the animal had been kept illegally on the property.
A large contingent from the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection, known as PROFEPA, along with members of the Mexican Navy, surrounded the Rivera Cuale condominium complex in the El Caloso neighborhood Friday afternoon. The operation also involved personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, the Mexican Army and municipal police.
Neighbors told Out & About PV (O&APV) the deployment was linked to the removal of a tiger allegedly kept inside a unit at the complex. A man identified by residents as Karl Allen Griggs, a U.S. citizen originally from Detroit (who currently lists New York City as his home on social media). Local media reports that Griggs was detained and remained in custody late Friday. Authorities had not released details about his legal status.
According to condo neighbors that O&APV talked to, Griggs had allegedly kept the tiger on his property for over a year and had even constructed a cage on the exterior area of his unit to house the feline.
The cage, which is visible from outside the complex, reportedly violated condominium association rules. Neighbors further claimed that Griggs purchased the animal from a breeder in Mexico City. Neighbors said Griggs is the owner of the local restaurant Uncle Daddy’s.
An internet search also shows that he is the author of a 2013 memoir, “Shattered Mirrors: Broken in Plain Sight”, detailing personal struggles, including abuse and addiction.
Under Mexican law, individuals may possess exotic animals only if they are acquired from breeders accredited by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and if all required permits are obtained.
Local authorities have not yet issued an official statement or confirmed these details. Out & About PV attempted to contact the local PROFEPA office for comment but received no response.
Regulations on Exotic Animals
Under Mexican law, individuals may own exotic animals provided they are acquired from breeders accredited by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the appropriate permits are obtained.
Recent Precedents
This is not the first instance of an exotic animal being kept as a domestic pet in the area. As recently as July 17, 2025, PROFEPA and FGR agents visited a residence after social media posts reported a lion cub being walked along the Puerto Vallarta Malecón.In that instance, a lion cub named “Kiri Kiri,” aged between four and seven months, was seized. PROFEPA filed a criminal complaint with the FGR for crimes against biodiversity, as the offender was a repeat violator regarding the possession of wildlife without providing dignified or proper treatment, as outlined in Article 420, Section IV of the Federal Penal Code.
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