LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thriller, a tiger that belonged to Michael Jackson when the entertainer lived at Neverland, has died of lung cancer at Tippi Hedren’s wildlife preserve near Los Angeles.
Hedren says the 13-year-old, 375-pound tiger died June 11. An autopsy was performed and the tiger was cremated.
Hedren says Thriller and brother Sabu were born in 1998 and lived with Jackson until 2006 when Jackson left Neverland. Jackson’s veterinarian asked Hedren to take the cats at her Shambala Preserve in Acton. She says a $79,000 compound was built on a lake and Thriller had a great life with Sabu.
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Despite Jackson’s love of animals, Hedren says he never called to check on the tigers and never sent any money to help pay for their care.
Jackson died in June 2009.
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