A 66-year-old man was mauled to death by a pet tiger that he kept on his property in southwestern Ontario, provincial police said Sunday.

Ontario Provincial Police were dispatched to a property in Southwold, about 28 kilometres southwest of London, which was known to be home to exotic animals.

Norman Buwalda, who spent years battling with neighbours to keep wild animals on his property, was attacked and killed by the 295-kilogram tiger when he entered the animal's cage to feed it, Ontario Provincial Police Const. Troy Carlson said.

"We don't know what actually took place because no one witnessed it, but the tiger ended up attacking him and killing him," he said.

A short time later, a family member found Buwalda and was able to lock the tiger in a separate portion of the cage before calling for help, police said.

The attack is not the first one to occur on Buwalda's property. In June 2004, a 10-year-old boy was mauled by a Siberian tiger that was led out of its cage on a leash so the child could take its picture.

The boy suffered severe neck and head injuries.

Buwalda, who was the chairman of the Canadian Exotic Animal Owner's Association, never faced charges because he was legally entitled to own the animals.

Neighbours in the rural community said they have spent nearly five years fighting to have the animals removed from the property, but all attempts failed.

Nicole Balogh was one of the many neighbours who went to the Southwold Township and helped get a bylaw passed to ban a person from owning exotic animals.

But Buwalda fought the bylaw and won.

A man who answered the phone at the Buwalda household said he had no comment.

Police are still investigating, but said they are not sure what will happen with the animal.

An autopsy will be performed Monday.

With files from The Canadian Press