Tony the Tiger can stay at Louisiana truck stop

BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana's governor has signed a law that the owners of a truck stop where Tony the Tiger lives think is grrrrrrr-eat!

Gov. Bobby Jindal's signature grants an exception to Louisiana law and lets the live tiger stay in his quarters at a Grosse Tete truck stop.

The bill becomes Act 697.

Animal rights groups had pressured the governor to veto it, saying the environment was not good for the animal. Truck stop owner Michael Sandlin asked Jindal to leave the tiger in the only home he's ever known.

The bill's sponsor, state Sen. Rick Ward III, a Republican from Maringouin, applauded the governor's decision Friday.

Sandlin told The Times-Picayune that he was relieved the threat of Tony being taken away is gone.