High School Mascot Gets Spirit; Tiger Injures Student at Rally
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SAN MATEO — A 400-pound Bengal tiger that was serving as a high school mascot apparently got excited at a noisy pep rally Friday, leaped onto a student from a stage and bit him, authorities said.
Craig Henderson, a junior at San Mateo High School, was treated for a bite wound on his arm and needed stitches, said a spokeswoman for Mills Hospital.
“We were told by the doctor that these were surface wounds,” said Mary O’Herron, spokeswoman for Vallejo-based Marine World Africa USA, which furnished the 4-year-old male tiger.
The gymnasium pep rally began at noon and was attended by about 1,000 students, who were yelling and making a lot of noise, O’Herron said.
The tiger, who was on a chain and was accompanied by two trainers, apparently got excited, jumped off the stage and landed on Henderson, she said.
The trainers immediately controlled the animal and put it back inside a van, she said.
O’Herron said Marine World would continue bringing animals to schools but probably not to another pep rally.
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