The female tiger was found with make-shift leash tangled in rusted wire.

DALLAS - Sanitation crews in Dallas made a shocking discovery after they received a call about a dead animal on Christmas Day.

A female Bengal tiger was found dead when the crews searched a wooded area near Interstate 35E and Overton Road. A city spokesperson said the tiger was shot several times.

The animal, which was declawed and wearing a make-shift leash, was taken to the Dallas Zoo.

A necropsy, the animal version of an autopsy, was completed at the zoo early Thursday evening. The tiger was estimated to be around one-years-old and weighed about 180 pounds.

Shell casing were found in the tiger's chest and face. In all, there were five bullet entries.

Chuck Siegel, deputy director of the Dallas Zoo, said he believes the tiger may have become more than the owner could handle.

"I find it very, very disturbing to see the nature of the collar-leash, which looks more like a bicycle cable than anything else," he said. "And this rusted wire, which is tangled around the [leash], is obviously very hazardous."

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the United States Department of Agriculture are investigating the incident and searching for the owner of the tiger.