TOM III was housed and cared for by the Tiger Guard, a committee of the Highland Hundred football booster club.
[3] TOM attends Memphis Tiger home games at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in a special sound proof, air conditioned trailer.
Once in Memphis, a contest was held to rename the mascot and over 2,500 entries were submitted to a committee chaired by Harry Pierotti.
TOM II spent his life housed in private facilities maintained by the Highland Hundred Tiger Guard.
After many years spent living in the home of William Nixon, TOM was moved to a tiger house constructed at St. Nick’s Farm and Zoological Park in the Memphis suburb of Collierville.
In the summer of 2005, the Tiger Guard, led by Bobby Wharton, began construction of new habitat in a rural area just south of Memphis.
TOM II was diagnosed with cancer during an annual 2008 medical examination and died on October 15 of that year at the age of 17.
[7] University of Memphis president Shirley Raines received pressure from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to cease using a live mascot shortly before TOM III was acquired.