ROCKWELL — A reported sighting of a tiger on a trail camera reached both the Rowan County Animal Services and Rowan County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday after multiple people online shared the photo. The camera was located near Mount Hope Church Road.

Maria Pannell, director of animal services, said that when her department received information about a possible tiger on the loose, they checked with all registered owners of exotic animals in the county. All of the animals were accounted for.

Pannell said that officers had been patrolling the area and had searched the woods, but the alleged tiger had not been sighted and there had been no signs of any large felines. She said they were looking into the potential that the “tiger” was actually a house cat or even a bobcat, as an animal as large as a tiger likely would have been sighted by a person.

Rowan County Sheriff Travis Allen said that they were also looking into the pictures. Captain Mark McDaniel said that the sheriff’s office had received a call around 11:30 a.m. about a tiger sighting. The resident said that they were taking the dogs out, when the dogs began to bark at something in the woods. On closer inspection, they reportedly saw the tiger. Officers responded to the home and searched the area, finding nothing.

The Tiger World Endangered Wildlife Preserve, one of the registered exotic animal owners, said on social media that none of their cats were loose. They also questioned whether or not the photo showed a tiger, saying it could be a tabby cat.

“All of Tiger World animals are safe, secure & accounted for. This is not one of our animals! We have offered assistance to authorities if needed. We are as shocked as you are! Do you think it looks like a tiger??? Without size reference it could be a domestic tabby cat,” said a Tiger World representative in a Facebook post.