Speak Up for a Big Cat: A Truck Stop is No Place for a Tiger!
posted by: alicia graef 191 days ago
A couple of months ago, I posted about Tony the Siberian Bengal tiger who sadly resides at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La., as nothing but an attraction for his owner Michael Sandlin.
Previously, Sandlin was violating a public ordinance that prevents people from owning and displaying wild and exotic animals. This also prevented the state’s Wildlife and Fishery Department from granting him a permit to own Tony. When they gave Sandlin 30 days to find Tony a new home, he instead filed a lawsuit.
Unfortunately for Tony, the Iberville Parish Council decided to amend the ordinance making it legal to keep a tiger, instead of enforcing their own laws, meaning Tony isn’t going anywhere.
Tony's still got some champions, including fellow Care2 member Sky Williamson, who have joined forces with Big Cat Rescue in their efforts to see him moved to their accredited wildlife preserve, and they have not given up fighting for him.
From the last post… Williamson, who stumbled upon the truck stop started fighting for Tony in 2005, calls Tony's living situation animal cruelty on display. "I will never forget that day," she said. "It took me down to my knees. There were 15 big trucks lined up nearby, all of them running. The smell was horrid. There was feces all over the cage."
Sandlin, and others on his side argue, in the spirit of let's leave well enough alone, that this is the only home Tony's ever known, so he's better off staying at the truck stop where he is a loved member of the family. If that's a valid argument, then one could also say that a puppy mill is the only home some dogs have ever known, so they're better off staying there too, which obviously makes no sense.
Sandlin also says he's kept tigers there for over 20 years without incident. What he conveniently fails to mention is that he has 20 years worth of USDA violations including unsanitary feeding practices, failure to provide clean water, failure to provide adequate shelter, mishandling tigers, failure to provide veterinary care and the most recent on the list being failure to clean cages and maintain adequate sanitation in 2007.
Those USDA violations sure do scream loving home, don't they?
The ordinance was amended with conditions that Sandlin improve Tony’s living space. However, according to Williamson, no changes have been made to actually improve Tony’s conditions, except for repainting his cage, which is obviously pretty worthless.
Additionally, the state’s Wildlife and Fishery Department has not issued Sandlin a permit, which means he can keep Tony in the conditions he’s living in indefinitely.
Regardless of whether or not Sandlin makes any improvements, a truck stop is no place for a tiger!!!
You Can Help!!!
Please take a moment to speak up for Tony by sending an email to the following people:
J. Mitchell Ourso, Iberville Parish President: jburleigh@ibervilleparish.com
Maria Davidson, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries: mdavidson@wlf.louisiana.gov
Send a letter to Governor Bobby Jindal here.
Read more: tiger, tony, animal welfare, tiger truck stop
comments
Katie- you are right about Gov. Bobby Jindal he is useless!!!
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why is this inappropriate?
Governor Jindal is a useless waste of air. He is spineless and ineffectual. He can't do anything someone else isn't prompting him to do (contributors and lobbyists).
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why is this inappropriate?
tact Bobby Jindal
Thank you for your e-mail. Rest assured that you will receive a response from my office in a timely fashion, and that I take your concerns very seriously. If you have submitted a question or concern which requires the assistance of a state agency, your email will be shared with the appropriate agency, and you will receive a response from that agency soon.
Thank you again for contacting me, and please continue to keep me informed of your views on matters of importance. Please do not hesitate to contact my office in the future on matters of concern to you.
Very Truly Yours,
Bobby Jindal
Governor of Louisiana
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why is this inappropriate?
I read this story, and wept. I can't believe that there isn't someone in authority that can change the situation, or maybe they just don't want to bad enough....
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why is this inappropriate?
And please, EVERYONE write to the parties above who can help. I just wrote a personal letter to each of them, we need everyone here to do the same for Tony.
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why is this inappropriate?
this is INSANE that this is allowed. You have got to be kidding me! People in charge, DO something! Help this poor tiger!
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why is this inappropriate?
Christina M - couldn't agree with you more. I cannot believe that this guy has been allowed to get away with keeping an animal like Tony like this for so long.
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Meanwhile looking at the progress of this case I believe Tony must live in a state where the people are reading the bible but not reading between the lines (so do I and I learbned to know this kind of people!). In the bible You can reda, that God made the earth for people to live on it. But is there anywhere written something about to exploit it?
Same way You will find that God gave the reponsibility on his creation to mankind. But did he say to keep them by themselves at home? Even when a child grows up the parents have no right to close them in their home, so what ist about the children of foreign parents You are told to look for? Should this mean to close them up in a cage (even of gold!) when it is born free (what cannot be bought an sold, so it says the constitution of the U.S.)? What would You say if anyone would do this with YOU? Aha, I see, animal have no rights, people have all of them being the coronation of Gods creation (anmial apartheid?). This explains from where they take the right to make wrong decisions too...*very ironic*
greetings from old europe
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why is this inappropriate?
Tony isn't a house cat.
Even if his home in the truck stop IS sanitary and meets his needs, don't you want him to be as happy as possible? I don't think we here are talking about meeting Tony's needs, we are addressing the fact that he CAN be happier. Even if there is air-conditioning, do you really want him on concrete? Don't you want him to have the most freedom as possible? Remember, we are not talking about a house cat or domestic animal. He still has the blood of a tiger... no matter what his home is.
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i think i.v commented before but this is so barbaric this poor tiger is just suffering every day .public opinion is being ignored ,i'v sent letters signed petitions and prayed ,i'm still praying
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