Phoebus the tiger from Trikala, on his way to San Diego

Phoebus the tiger said goodbye to the Trikala Zoo late on Tuesday afternoon and he is now on his way to San Diego, California in order to be operated on for hip dysplasia problem at a specialised centre that is located there. His sister Athena, who died last year, apparently also suffered from the same condition.

Officials in Trikala (central Greece) claim that the funds for the operation were collected through an online effort launched last spring by David Barnes, former director of Animalaction (former Greek Animal Welfare Fund, GAWF).

As such, many animal lovers from all over the world, especially from the UK, helped to raise more than 7,779 GBP, and the remaining amount was donated by the BBC, to a total of 11,500 GBP.

A team of specialists in the presence of a vet placed Phoebus in a transport cage; he had to be sedated after refusing to enter the cage.

A BBC television crew and David Barnes visited Trikala Mayor Christos Anastassiou on Tuesday morning. His interview and the entire procedure of Phoebus' transfer is expected to be aired on BBC prime time on Friday (December 12).