Wednesday June 17, 2009, 2:14 am
Please sign this is done by our own Eureka. Thank you Eureka! New petition for Tony, we must get him out.

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 2:51 am
Sadly there have been NO changes at Tiger Truck Stop for Tony the tiger. I'm sorry there was ONE, they repainted part of his cage with that horrible shipyard grey besides that NOTHING else. We have got to start sending letters again guys. PLEASE start with Mr. Ourso jburleigh@ibervilleparish.com the parish president, then Maria Davidson mdavidson@wlf.louisiana.gov and then let's not forget about Governor Bobby Jindal http://www.gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=form&tmp=email_governor

Sadly Iberville Parish thinks that we have all gone away with our tails tucked help me show them that until Tony is taken care of humanely that we are NEVER going away. We have to show them that we are the voice for Tony and that we truly care about him unlike his owner Michael Sandlin http://www.myspace.com/papatiger

We stand strong in numbers please do not give up on Tony, he needs us. Please forward this to everyone you know and ask them to please get involved so together we can make a difference, TONY is counting on us. If not us then who? www.FreeTony.com

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 6:12 am
Signed earlier. Thanks Simone.

Joycey Berry Canton, NC
Sent letter to Mr. Ourso (President Iberville Town Parish) , Mr Edward Songy (Chief Administrative Officer) and Mr Ricky W (District Attorney)
about 1 hour ago

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 9:03 am
A message left for me at Change.org by a Long Haul Trucker
====================================================
# You make the world a better place about 5 hours ago

Walt Vasco As a Long Haul Trucker of many years, I have been to this truck stop several years ago and I did see Tony. Actually at the time there were two tigers there. I was in a hurry so I only got a brief look at them. I thought the tigers were there only for a short time as the name of the truck stop is Tiger Truck Stop. I can't imagine that they would keep these magnificent animals in those conditions all these years. Thank you for your work here. I have recruited out your Action and I pray they are released! Aloha and God Bless, Walt
given by Walt Vasco in reference to posted action Stop Abuse of Tony the TruckStop Tiger at Iberville Parish, Louisiana, USA

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 9:07 am
Simone, thank you for putting it up as a news story! Bless you for thinking so fast.

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 9:08 am
GOVENOR'S EMAIL --
http://www.gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=form&tmp=email_governor
----------------------------------------------
We have to show them that we are the voice for Tony and that we truly care about him unlike his owner Michael Sandlin
http://www.myspace.com/papatiger
-------------------------------------
http://www.bigcatrescue.org/FreeTony.htm
------------------------------------------

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 9:09 am
MORE ACTION TO TAKE PLEASE
=============================
Copy email addresses & send protest letters - sample letter below
========================================================
esongy@ibervilleparish.com;
jburleigh@ibervilleparish.com;lasen17@legis.state.la.us;
larep058@legis.state.la.us;larep060@legis.state.la.us;
Dball@pelican.state.lib.la.us;eastiberville.c1il@pelican.state.lib.la.us;
whitecastle.c1il@pelican.state.lib.la.us;maringouin.c1il@pelican.state.lib.la.us;
rosedale.c1il@pelican.state.lib.la.us;grossetete.c1il@pelican.state.lib.la.us;
bayoupigeon.c1il@pelican.state.lib.la.us;bayousorrel.c1il@pelican.state.lib.la.us;
parishcouncil@eatel.net;RickyW@rickywardda.com;
ereeves@awilbertsons.com;ibervilleso@yahoo.com;
wcdupont@aol.com;salarisbutler@kbpinc.com;
ereeves@awilbertsons.com
====================================================================================
Dear Sirs
With regard to the continued caging of Tony the Tiger at the TruckStop, located at Grosse Tete, Iberville Parish, Louisiana, USA

We ask that the council:

1) Calls for a thorough and independent investigation of Michael Sandlin's flouting the law, AND the failure of Iberville Parish council to uphold the law.

2) To prosecute Michael Sandlin for animal cruelty and neglect (continuous inhalation of toxic fumes, subjected to constant bright lights, subjected to severe cold in winter without adequate heat, inadequate rubber bedding, and lack of adequate bathing facilities.

3) Release Tony to the care of Big Cat Rescue

In view of the council's past and present apparent reluctance to act on behalf of the well being of this Tiger, and the council's failure to uphold laws designed to protect wildlife from abuse, we are now compelled to take this issue to the world stage - where the Iberville Parish will be named and shamed.

Yours sincerely,
Concerned Citizen - against the abuse of Wildlife.
=======================================================================================

ALSO PLEASE CROSS POST - LINK TO FACEBOOK, BLOG TO ALL OTHER SOCIAL SITES

Sign the change.org petition - use zip code 70740, for Iberville, LA

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 9:10 am
You are so welcome Eureka, but the thanks is all yours. Thank you so much for this for Tony, with advocates like yourself and others joining, hopefully we can make a difference, and get this beautiful fellow out of his dungeon.

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 9:18 am
CORRECTION - THE BEDDING FOR TONY MUST NOT BE RUBBER - THE PETITION AT CHANGE.ORG HAS BEEN EDITED TO CORRECT THIS. THANK YOU SKY.

PLEASE EDIT THE SAMPLE LETTER - JUST REMOVE THE WORD 'RUBBER'

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 2:21 pm
I just like to thank Sky,because without her, none of us would have known about Tony's Plight, she is the one that has been fighting for Tony from the beginning,and she started the campaign to free him.

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 2:58 pm
Sky, I'm aware of the forces now gathering against you - stand strong. You are Tony's guardian angel, and we are here to support you and Tony.

As for threats against SKY - and for disinformation sent via some Care2 'members' - there is a sure way of tracking IPs - all the way to its internet source. You cannot remain hidden....

We take these attempts as a 'compliment'. We must be doing something right here!

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 3:59 pm
I sent them some more emails.....
And copied the heading of this news story into the body of the email, just below the 'demand' section
Now they can see themselves lit up on the 'Broadway' lights of Care2.

Please keep on sending the emails (remember to remove the word 'rubber' (tigers can't have rubber beds)

Wednesday June 17, 2009, 7:46 pm
SIGNED ,NOTED AND WILL KEEP SENDING E-MAILS.

Thursday June 18, 2009, 3:41 am
See Tony on UTube - watch his life

YTube link - see Tony's life!

Thursday June 18, 2009, 2:56 pm
Here is some interesting comments I found after a search about Tony's situation:

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?

Carole Baskin, chief executive officer of Big Cat Rescue, who has repeatedly offered to take Tony, said that even if he did get approval, "There is no way to turn a truck stop into a suitable environment for a tiger."

Imagine for a moment what it would be like to be a tiger. Now imagine what it would be like to be a tiger stuck in a concrete cage under constant lighting surrounded by the fumes and deafening sounds of the highway and diesel engines from the truck stop while people taunt and throw things at you to get you to move day after relentless day after relentless day.