Sedated tigress causes shock at glitzy grand opening of major new Russian casino

The new casino complex is a major development in boosting the economy of the Russian Far East - as highlighted in our earlier reports. Vice governor of Primorsky region Sergey Nekhaev called it a 'unique resort' in proximity to Vladivostok, and the hope is it will tap into the Asian gambling market, with more casino complexes due to open in this new zone. 

But local media attention this week was on the wild animal mascot paraded while being under sedation at a ceremony that followed last month's 'soft' opening. The parading of endangered female Siberian tiger cub - named Crystal - has provoked a storm of protest.

One claim was that the drugged five-month old predator, her eyes drooping as she was paraded in front of revellers, was 'tortured'. Another accused organisers of 'mocking' animals. One complained: 'What a shame - all in pursuit of cheap glamour. This poor kitten! When we will have organisations that sort out the issues such as animal abuse.' 

Vostokmedia concluded the casino management had miscued because people in Primorsky region are devoted to protecting the Siberian - or Amur - tiger species, with only 500 or so creatures alive in the wild. 'It is unlikely that locals understand when a live tiger cub was carried and put under the limelight with loud music to the delight of the crowd,' said the media outlet. 'The result that the casino will receive a reputational loss rather than pluses.'

There was a hostile response on online community 'We are from Vladivostok', with Irina Butkovskaya saying it was 'very frustrating' that the casino  'began with a crime - animal abuse.'

A casino source told PrimaMedia: 'For security purposes, so Crystal would not bite anybody, she was given a sedative. The tigress still is small, so it was impossible to do an injection. The vet came and gave her liquid medicine in a bottle. She slept all the time.'

The head of the Laboratory Centre for Animal Disease, Irina Korotkova, confirmed: 'The animal was artificially sent to sleep with medication. In such cases its eyes are not closed. These drugs have a sedative effect, some have even analgesic effect, but this state is similar to sleep. The eyes are not closed.'

The tiger was bought for 450,000 roubles - some $6,800 - and then transported 7,800 kilometres from Ufa Zoo to Vladivostok. 

Sergei Aramilev, of the Amur Tiger Centre, demanded to know what sedative the tiger was given.'There are cases when pet owners give a sleeping pills to the animals. We need to understand exactly in each case, to learn from veterinarians, what was the medicine and what might be the consequences, is it harmful to the animal, is it addictive. In terms of moral and ethical aspects, it is not good.'

The animal is being housed at a private zoo near Ussuriysk, but will be on call for other zoo events.

Zoo director Ekaterina Zotova explained: 'Before the show we gave her a sedative. Any vet gives such medication to cat or dog during the transportation. They are absolutely harmless and necessary to the animal, for example, to prevent sickness or aggression from the loud music. Predators have different reactions on such things. What's more, we know that Crystal arrived in Primorye only three days ago. After sedation, the tigress dropped her lower eyelids. It lasted for only 10-15 minutes.'

She denied any cruelty in parading the tigress at the casino grand opening. 'For us, this animal is very valuable, and we would not let do anything bad to her,' she said. 'She was in the casino just for an hour and we immediately brought her back. She is in her enclosure now, meowing, and playing since the early morning. She has a good appetite.'

Police are investigating the medication given to the tigress to induce drowsiness after local media highlighted how the wild animal mascot was paraded while being under sedation at a ceremony that followed last month's 'soft' opening. There has been a storm of protest over the casino's use of a cosatose Siberian tiger cub - named Crystal.