Days Left to Help Save Tony the Truck Stop Tiger

If you haven’t heard of Tony, he’s a Siberian Bengal tiger who is living in a concrete cage at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana, where he is being used as an attraction for his owner Michael Sandlin, whose permit is up for renewal.

The fight over what to do with Tony has been going on for a while. Sandlin was previously violating an ordinance that prevented people from owning or displaying wild or exotic animals. It also prevented the state’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) from issuing him a permit to own Tony. When he was given 30 days to find Tony a new home, he filed a lawsuit.

Despite efforts by Tony’s supporters who want to see him moved to Big Cat Rescue’s accredited sanctuary, he lost in court. The Iberville Parish Council decided to amend the ordinance making it legal to keep a tiger, instead of enforcing their own laws, which meant Tony was stuck.

Since then, more people from around the world have sent thousands of letters and signed petitions asking the LDWF and state officials to get Tony out of there. The Animal Legal Defense Fund has also stepped in and filed a legal petition to revoke, and deny renewal of, Sandlin’s permit to keep Tony on the grounds that it is violating state and Iberville Parish ordinances and that the LDWF’s granting a permit in the first place was unlawful.

“Mr. Sandlin’s failure to keep Tony in an environment that is responsive to both his physical and psychological needs is not only inhumane—it is illegal” said ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells. “We urge the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to comply with already-existing regulations designed to protect tigers like Tony, and to end his daily torment by refusing to sentence him to another year of diesel fumes, harassment, and the unimaginable suffering of life in his lonely cage.”

Sandlin says Tony’s a member of the family and argues that he’s kept tigers there for over 20 years without incident. What he conveniently fails to mention are the tigers that he has had seized and 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.

SPEAK UP FOR TONY!

Sign the WSPA’s petition asking the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries not to renew Sandlin’s permit to keep Tony.

Send a letter to the LDWF and local and state officials.

Get more info on Tony from Big Cat Rescue.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

federico b.

12:55PM PDT on Apr 28, 2012

TONY libero.!!!!

send a green star

Joy D.

8:58AM PDT on Apr 8, 2012

At last word, I am left to understand, Louisianna did not and will not renew Permit. Is there a turnabout I am not aware of?

Linda J.

11:45PM PDT on Apr 7, 2012

There is nothing humane about some humans - beware, it seems to be a growing fungus among us

Lee W.

5:12AM PDT on Apr 7, 2012

Wouldn't you just figure that 3% of the members here vote yes. Insanity reigns supreme among a few even here. This magnificent animal is not the property of any human and he does not deserve the hell he has been living all these years. Anyone who thinks he does deserves the same karma Sandlin deserves!

richa b.

3:15AM PDT on Apr 7, 2012

people voting Yes to this...:( its sad ...what kind of people are on care2 these days?? I wish these moronic awful people were removed asap!

5:49PM PDT on Sep 2, 2011

FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! FREE TONY NOW! SHUT THE TRUCK STOP DOWN!

Malana A.

2:08PM PDT on Sep 2, 2011

If Tony truly is a member of Sandlin's family he (Mr. Sandlin) will want to do what's best for him. For any one of us to do what is best for another we must put ourselves in their place for a time to understand the situation.

Karen B.

12:04PM PDT on Sep 2, 2011

What are the 3% who voted YES doing on Care2?
Exactly what is it they care about . . . . . .

11:43AM PDT on Sep 2, 2011

The owner must have three friends that drink or do drugs in order to vote and cater to such a strategic tragedy.

11:35AM PDT on Sep 2, 2011

Since this location must be classified within the "loopholes" of mandates - let's play the game. Interstate commerce is provisioned at this location thus, should meet all interstate "federal" mandates. USDA, may I suggest you investigate to the best of all your abilities can muster. A life is on the line, the the processed food after the fact. Livestock is solely your jurisdiction. KNOW THY FEDERAL LAWS - AND ENACT AND ENFORCE. THIS DOES NOT LOOK GOOD TOWARD YOUR AGENCY FOR THIS HAS BEEN DRUDGED FRO WAY TOO LONG. CONCEDE YOUR ENVOLVEMENT AND SUPERCEDE ALL OTHER JURISDICATIONS SUPPOSEDLY MINIMIZING YOUR JOB(S).