The tiger made its way into the small suburb of Meadow Brook and into the backyard of a house, according to a statement from Henry County Police.
Resident Brittney Speck woke up to police lights and was alarmed by her dog barking, so she decided to look out the window.
To her shock, she spotted the big cat jumping into her backyard, where it began attacking her dog named Journey.
A tiger was shot dead in Atlanta after it attacked a dog. Source: Henry County Police Department
Police then made the decision to "put the animal down with gunfire fearing that occupants of the home could be in danger as well as others in the area".
The mother-of-two said she was worried for Journey's life when the tiger pounced.
"I fell to the ground crying because my husband was screaming because the tiger had jumped on top of my dog," she told .
"By the time (the tiger) had jumped on my dog, the officer had started firing rounds."
Henry County Police and Animal Control are in the process of working out where the tiger came from.
A still of the tiger (Henry County Police Department) Source: Henry County Police Department
The nearby Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary released a statement saying all their tigers were accounted for at the shelter.
Recommended reading
Algae paved way for animals: Aust study
"Noah's Ark was contacted by Henry County Police with reports of a loose tiger on I-75. We responded immediately and were on the way to the scene with hopes of chemically immobilising the tiger and bringing it to Noah's Ark," the statement read.
"Unfortunately, human life became at risk and the tiger was shot by the authorities. All of our tigers are accounted for. Thank you to the officers for trying their best to bring this animal to safety."
