Tony is a 11 year old Siberian/Bengal tiger used as a roadside attraction at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete Louisiana. Tony’s owner, Michael Sandlin, has bought, sold, bred, and exhibited tigers for OVER 20 years.
In 2003, because of violations and fines, Mr. Sandlin and the USDA made an agreement where 3 of the 4 tigers he owned, Toby, Khan and Rainbow, were sent to Tiger Haven in Kingston TN.
The USDA reduced the fines and allowed Michael Sandlin to keep one tiger, Tony.
Many of life's failures...
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas Edison
This would be nothing more then a travesty for Tony to go to the worst place known in the United States. THIS IS NOT A "SANCTUARY" THIS HORRID PLACE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A BREEDING COMPOUND.
Famed Tiger Truck Stop set to move its beloved mascot, Tony, to Oklahoma Sanctuary if forced to give him up.
GROSSE TETE, LA, December 06, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Mike Sandlin, owner of the Tiger Truck Stop, has agreed that if Tony, his beloved 11-year old Bengal tiger, is forced to move from his home, he will be moved to the G.W. Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. Mr. Sandlin's family is from Oklahoma and Tony would be able to be visited by the family who loves him.
Sandlin and Joe Schreibvogel, G.W.'s Park Director, have agreed on terms to start raising money for Tony's new habitat at the park. Some of the terms include:
1) Tony will be located at the back of the G.W. Exotic Animal Park, which is not open to the public and therefore will not be on display.
2) Once the money has been raised to construct his compound, neither Tony's nor the Truck Stop's name will be used in any future fundraising or advertisements.
3) Tony's name will be changed to protect him from any further harassment and allow him to live out his life as a tiger instead of a political campaign.
4) If money is raised for the compound and the compound is built, but Sandlin wins his appeal and is allowed to keep Tony, a tiger in desperate need will be rescued and placed in Tony's compound in Tony's honor.
Schreibvogel urges that time is running out to get a compound funded and built in the event the court decides Tony must move. He is calling on every celebrity, organization, animal rights groups, and individuals who worked so diligently to force Tony from his home to finish their fight and give Tony the home they so desperately fought for, to see if they can put up or shut up about animal welfare. Schreibvogel says, "It is time to see just how many people really care about Tony's health and well being or if he was just another political puppet to further their cause."
Plans for Tony's new complex include a 10,000 square foot compound with a swimming pool, waterfall, and shade trees all surrounded by woods in the country, away from any city noise, pollution, or gas pumps. The complex will cost in excess of $120,000.00 to build and the park would like to have it completed as soon as possible in case he is moved, so he does not have to be held in a waiting compound.
"We are sure someone will have something to say about him coming to our park, and we are expecting that, but we are proud to be the one selected to take him in and that is why we voluntarily put in the contract to change its name and not to promote him at our park. People have made way too much money off of him already," Schreibvogel stated. "He would only be exploited more if he went to a facility in Florida or anywhere else, and he just doesn't deserve that any longer."
Donated funds will go directly to the compound materials and building, with the G.W. Park staff and volunteers providing most, if not all, of the labor.
The following are posts from The Animal Legal Defense Fund for Tony. First is ALDF’s main page for Tony: http://www.aldf.org/tony Our sincerest thanks to ALDF for taking Tony’s case and for their tenacious efforts in fighting for Tony’s relocation to an accredited big cat sanctuary. About ALDF: For more than three decades, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has been fighting to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. Founded in 1979 by attorneys active in shaping the emerging field of animal law, ALDF has blazed the trail for stronger enforcement of anti-cruelty laws and more humane treatment of animals in every corner of American life. Today, ALDF’s groundbreaking efforts to push the U.S. legal system to end the suffering of abused animals are supported by hundreds of dedicated attorneys and more than 100,000 members. Every day, ALDF works to protect animals by:
Filing groundbreaking lawsuits to stop animal abuse and expand the boundaries of animal law.
Providing free legal assistance to prosecutors handling cruelty cases.
Working to strengthen state anti-cruelty statutes.
Encouraging the federal government to enforce existing animal protection laws.
Providing public education through seminars, workshops and other outreach efforts.
In addition to our national headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Animal Legal Defense Fund maintains an office in Portland, Oregon.
Website: http://www.aldf.org
Update
November 2, 2011: Great news from Baton Rouge, where Judge Michael Caldwell has ruled in favor of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Louisiana taxpayers in our lawsuit to free Tony the Tiger from the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana. Read more…
September 20, 2011: The court has scheduled two new hearings in the Tony the Tiger case. On October 17th, the court will hear the State’s exceptions, which challenge the plaintiffs’ standing to bring the case. On November 2nd, the court will hear ALDF’s motion for a permanent injunction to revoke the permit that lets Michael Sandlin confine Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop. {Note: October 17th hearing rescheduled to November 2nd, 2011}
August 29, 2011: This morning, the Louisiana Court of Appeals ruled that Michael Sandlin and the Tiger Truck Stop are necessary parties to the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s lawsuit to free Tony the tiger and ordered a new trial in the case. In so ruling, the Court vacated the permanent injunction issued by the trial court that would have freed Tony in December. The decision means ALDF will need to amend its complaint to add the new defendants, then re-do the litigation thus far. While we disagree with the Court of Appeals’ ruling, this is just a minor set-back. We are confident that the trial court got the law right the first time around and will rule the same way when we go through it again with Mr. Sandlin and the Tiger Truck Stop as parties. August 15, 2011: ALDF lawyers were in court today to defend against Sandlin’s attempt to get our case dismissed. In another victory for Tony, the judge denied Sandlin’s motion. This means the case will continue to move forward. The Court has set a hearing date of September 15 for ALDF’s motion for a mandatory injunction, which seeks an immediate revocation of Sandlin’s permit to keep Tony. July 19, 2011: The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a motion for a mandatory injunction in June that would compel the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to revoke the current permit and seize Tony—meaning that Tony would not have to wait until December to experience his new life beyond the Tiger Truck Stop. Although this specific request was part of ALDF’s original complaint, the court did not rule on it at the hearing in May. A new hearing on the motion for a mandatory injunction was set for July 22, but has been postponed to a later date yet to be determined. May 6, 2011: Victory for Tony! This morning, a judge in East Baton Rouge District Court granted the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s request for a permanent injunction against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, preventing the Department from renewing the annual permit that allows Michael Sandlin, owner of Grosse Tete’s Tiger Truck Stop, to display Tony. When the current permit expires in December 2011, Sandlin will no longer be able to keep Tony confined as a roadside exhibit at the truck stop where he has languished for over a decade. Read more… April 11, 2011
The stench of fuel. The deafening sound of diesel engines. The neverending boredom of captivity and isolation. Such are the conditions in which Tony, a 10-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger, has spent every day and night of the last decade at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana. It’s no life for a tiger, or any other animal. That’s why the Animal Legal Defense Fund has filed a lawsuit in Louisiana, arguing that the permit that allows Tony to languish in a roadside cage violates state law. Kristin Bauer, the actress who portrays the lovely-but-lethal vampire Pam on HBO’s award-winning True Blood, has teamed with the Animal Legal Defense Fund in the fight to free Tony. Tony’s Tragedy
In addition to being subjected to noise and diesel fumes 24-hours a day, Tony is also frequently harassed and taunted by visitors at the truck stop. His enclosure is devoid of adequate enrichment, such as logs, trees, or complex vegetation that would allow him to engage in natural tiger behaviors. He has no pool of water large enough to allow him to submerge himself to cool off in the blazing heat of the summer. As a result of the stress of his confinement, Tony constantly paces on the hard concrete surface of his enclosure, putting him at risk for dangerous and painful veterinary conditions. Michael Sandlin, the owner of Tony and the truck stop, has been cited by the USDA due to violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including a lack of proper sanitation and improper feeding practices.
Year after year of living at the Tiger Truck Stop have taken their toll on Tony’s health. The ambient noise from the nearby freeway and the idling trucks, their diesel engines spewing noxious fumes directly into his enclosure, is painful and obtrusive to an animal with such sensitive hearing and an acute sense of smell, says veterinarian Jennifer Conrad, who has 16 years of experience with captive large cats and has visited Tony. “Based on what I have observed of Tony’s enclosure at the Tiger Truck Stop and his behavior from video and photographs, it is my professional opinion that this tiger is in poor condition and needs intervention on his behalf,” she says. ALDF’s Argument
On April 11, 2011, ALDF filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and its secretary Robert Barham, arguing that he violated state law in granting a permit allowing Sandlin to exhibit Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop. Joining ALDF as a co-plaintiff in the case is former Louisiana Representative Warren Triche, who authored the state’s law which led to the ban on the private ownership of tigers. Two other Louisiana residents, also deeply concerned by Tony’s long-time suffering, are additional co-plaintiffs.
At the heart of ALDF’s position is the fact that Sandlin’s current housing of Tony violates state and local laws. In 2006, the Louisiana state legislature unanimously passed Act 715, which required LDWF to control the private ownership of big cats. The department enacted regulations prohibiting citizens from keeping a tiger as a pet or exhibiting a tiger in the state. In passing these regulations, the department rightly declared that possession of big cats and certain other exotic animals poses significant hazards to public safety and health and is detrimental to the welfare of the animals.
The regulations provided an exception, however: individuals who legally owned big cats as of August 15, 2006, were grandfathered in. These owners would need to apply for an annual permit from the LDWF. An ordinance passed in Sandlin’s parish of Iberville in 1993 made it illegal for anyone to keep a tiger or other large exotic cat on his or her premises for exhibition. In other words, Sandlin did not qualify for the exception because he was not in legal possession of Tony. In addition, Sandlin is ineligible for the state’s grandfathering provision because he does not live on the premises where Tony is kept, contrary to regulations.
Despite the fact that Sandlin was ineligible for a grandfather permit, the LDWF nonetheless issued him one. ALDF is taking the department to court to invalidate this illegally-issued permit.—and free Tony from his troubled life at the truck stop. http://www.aldf.org/tony
Petition Filed to Prevent the Renewal of Permit for Tiger Kept in Inhumane Conditions at Truck Stop
November 22, 2010
Animal Legal Defense Fund Urges Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to Revoke Illegal Permit for “Tony” at Iberville Parish’s Tiger Truck Stop
BATON ROUGE, La. – This morning, the national non-profit Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) filed a petition with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, requesting that they revoke, and deny renewal of, the permit allowing Michael Sandlin to exhibit a male Siberian tiger named Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La. Tony has been on exhibit at the truck stop since 2000; he has lived there with no other tiger companions since 2003, when the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) seized three other tigers from Sandlin due to violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
Why are attorneys and activists up in arms about Tony’s tenure at the Tiger Truck Stop? In addition to being subjected to noise and diesel fumes 24-hours a day, Tony is also subjected to frequent harassment and taunting by visitors at the truck stop. His enclosure is devoid of adequate enrichment, such as logs, trees, or complex vegetation that would allow him to engage in natural tiger behaviors. He has no pool of water large enough to allow him to submerge himself to cool off in the blazing heat of the summer. As a result of confinement, Tony exhibits neurotic pacing behavior on the hard concrete surface of his enclosure, putting him at risk for dangerous and painful veterinary conditions. Sandlin, the owner of Tony and the truck stop, has been cited by the USDA due to violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including a lack of proper sanitation and improper feeding practices. ALDF’s petition argues that Sandlin’s existing permit for Tony, which is up for annual renewal on December 14, 2010, is in violation of both state and Iberville Parish ordinances. Further, the petition argues that the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has no legal authority under Louisiana law to issue a permit for Sandlin’s possession of Tony, and that the Department’s granting of his current permit 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” says 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.” http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1533 Note: ALDF Response To LDWF Permit Renewal The following is an e-mail received from the Animal Legal Defense Fund addressing the LDWF’s permit renewal to Mr. Sandlin. The ALDF petitioned the LDWF on November 22, 2010 http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1533 Many animal welfare organizations were contacted in regard to Tony’s situation, and we are grateful to ALDF who responded and supported the efforts to relocate Tony to a big cat sanctuary. Thank you ALDF for your support of Tony and for the time and research dedicated to Tony. As the following email states, we look forward to your continued efforts in pursuing options in Tony’s case. ALDF Email:
Thank you so much for your concern for Tony the Tiger, and for contacting the Animal Legal Defense Fund. We were very disappointed to learn that the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries granted a renewal of Michael Sandlin’s permit to keep Tony. Sandlin is the owner of the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La., where Tony is kept in unnatural confinement and is subjected to noise and diesel fumes 24 hours a day.
In November, ALDF filed a petition with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, arguing that Sandlin’s permit is in violation of state and local ordinances. Rest assured that ALDF is continuing to investigate our legal options with regards to Tony’s case. Sign up for enews updates from ALDF: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5154/signUp.jsp?key=16238049&Email to stay tuned on our ongoing work to free Tony.
Thank you for all you do for animals.
Lawsuit Filed to Free Tiger Kept in Inhumane Conditions at Truck Stop
April 11, 2011
Animal Legal Defense Fund Sues Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary for Issuing Illegal Permit for Tony at Iberville Parish’s Tiger Truck Stop
Baton Rouge, La. – This morning, the national non-profit Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and its secretary Robert Barham, arguing that he violated state law in granting a permit allowing Michael Sandlin to exhibit a male Siberian-Bengal tiger named Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La. Tony has been on exhibit at the truck stop since 2000; he has lived there with no other tiger companions since 2003. Joining ALDF as a co-plaintiff in the case is former Louisiana Representative Warren Triche, who authored the state’s law which led to the ban on the private ownership of big exotic cats, including tigers. Two other Louisiana residents, also deeply concerned by Tony’s long-time suffering, are additional co-plaintiffs. The law offices of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz, P.C. are providing pro bono assistance with the lawsuit. Kristin Bauer, the actress who portrays the lovely-but-lethal vampire Pam on HBO’s award-winning True Blood, has teamed with the Animal Legal Defense Fund in the fight to free Tony.
Why are attorneys and activists up in arms about Tony’s tenure at the Tiger Truck Stop? In addition to being subjected to noise and diesel fumes 24-hours a day, Tony is also frequently harassed and taunted by visitors at the truck stop. His enclosure is devoid of adequate enrichment, such as logs, trees, or complex vegetation that would allow him to engage in natural tiger behaviors. He has no pool of water large enough to allow him to submerge himself to cool off in the blazing heat of the summer. As a result of the stress of his confinement, Tony constantly paces on the hard concrete surface of his enclosure, putting him at risk for dangerous and painful veterinary conditions. Sandlin, the owner of Tony and the truck stop, has been cited by the USDA due to violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including a lack of proper sanitation and improper feeding practices.
ALDF’s lawsuit argues that Sandlin’s existing permit for Tony, which Barham renewed in December 2010, violates Louisiana’s Act 715, a law sponsored by Triche and passed unanimously in 2006, and its implementing regulations, which ban the private possession of big exotic cats, including tigers. The complaint asks the court to invalidate the permit.
“Louisiana has explicit regulations designed to protect tigers like Tony, and Secretary Barham has disregarded state law and misused taxpayer money in arbitrarily granting the permit that allows Michael Sandlin to keep Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop,” says ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells. “We will keep fighting until Tony is no longer subjected to diesel fumes, harassment, and the unimaginable suffering of life in his lonely cage.”
Copies of the lawsuit and photographs of Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop are available upon request. ALDF was founded in 1979 with the unique mission of protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals through the legal system. For more information, please visit www.aldf.org. http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1662
Kristin Bauer Takes a Bite out of Animal Cruelty
April 11, 2011
Posted by Lisa Franzetta, ALDF’s Director of Communications on April 11th, 2011
Kristin Bauer, the actress who portrays the lovely-but-lethal vampire Pam on HBO’s award-winning True Blood, has teamed with the Animal Legal Defense Fund in the fight to free Tony, a Siberian-Bengal tiger who has been living in isolation as a “tourist attraction” at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana for the past decade. Like Tony, “Pam” is a denizen of Louisiana (the hit horror drama takes place in the fictional town of Bon Temps) and a beautiful hunter of the night. In real life, Kristin is a long-time animal advocate who is biting mad over Tony’s cruel confinement.
In her video message to her feline-friendly fans, Kristin explains, “Tony is a Siberian-Bengal tiger who has been living on display as a tourist attraction at a truck stop outside Baton Rouge since 2001. In the wild, Tony might roam a territory of one hundred square miles. But for the last decade, he has instead lived in his concrete enclosure, exposed to the noise of diesel engines and the stench of gasoline.” Kristin’s love for animals began when she was a little girl growing up on a Wisconsin farm, riding horses and taking in stray cats. Now in Los Angeles with her family of rescue animals, Kristin is an outspoken advocate on issues like animal testing, puppy mills, and animals, like Tony, who are exploited for human entertainment. “I can speak about animals in entertainment because I chose to be an entertainer,” Kristin explained in an exclusive interview with ALDF. “I have choice; an animal doesn’t. Can you imagine being taken from your home and forced into a job you’re not suited for? It’s incredibly selfish to imagine that another being has to live a life he wouldn’t choose just to entertain me.”
Currently shooting season four of True Blood, Kristin explains that she is far from the only animal lover on set—“there are dogs everywhere! [The show’s creator] Alan Ball is a big animal lover, and half of the cast have dogs that they bring to the set, and it’s great. There are so many cute rescue dogs running around. One of the actresses has the most unbelievable cross-eyed dog! It’s one of the joys of being on the show–incredibly caring people, and animal lovers to boot. It’s amazing.”
Vampire Pam’s charms—with a bite—have won over a huge fan base, and Kristin is often asked by lovers of animals and True Blood alike what they can do to help. “I think people mainly are very caring; I think they just don’t know,” says Kristin. “And there is so much you can do. There are people working 60-70 hours a week—the true heroes, making things happen—and you can support them. You can go to the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s website, aldf.org, and they have action alerts. You can sign petitions. You can support causes that are important to you. There’s a quote that I love that says, ‘All evil needs is for good men to do nothing.’ Every little action counts and matters.” http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1663
Leonardo Speaks Out For Tony: “We Need to Act Now”
April 29, 2011
Posted by Lisa Franzetta, ALDF’s Director of Communications on April 29th, 2011 Award-winning actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio is the latest high-profile supporter to join the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s campaign tofree Tony the tiger, who has spent the last decade at Louisiana’s Tiger Truck Stop.
Yesterday, Leo wrote to his 1.5 million Facebook supporters:
Have you heard about Tony, a Siberian-Bengal tiger living at a truck stop in Louisiana? This tiger has been living in a small inadequate and inhumane enclosure alone since 2003. We need to help the Animal Legal Defense Fund in urging the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to revoke the permit that allows this. http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5154/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6207
The star of Titanic, The Aviator, and Inception also reached out to his hundreds of thousands of Twitter followers, tweeting
On May 5, ALDF will square off against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in East Baton Rouge District Court over the legality of a permit that allows Tony, a ten-year old Siberian-Bengal tiger, to be confined as a roadside exhibit at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La. ALDF is arguing that the Department violated state law in granting the permit to Tony’s owner, Michael Sandlin. Sign the petition to help free Tony today! And stay tuned all next week for updates on Tony’s case! http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1695
Speak Out for Tony!
Direct link to photo at ALDF: http://ow.ly/4ChdE
Join the Animal Legal Defense Fund in urging the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to revoke the permit that allows Michael Sandlin to display Tony, a ten-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger, at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana, where he has lived with no other tiger companions since 2003.
In addition to being subjected to noise and diesel fumes 24-hours a day, Tony is also frequently harassed and taunted by visitors at the truck stop. His enclosure is devoid of adequate enrichment, such as logs, trees, or complex vegetation that would allow him to engage in natural tiger behaviors. He has no pool of water large enough to allow him to submerge himself to cool off in the blazing heat of the summer. As a result of the stress of his confinement, Tony constantly paces on the hard concrete surface of his enclosure, putting him at risk for dangerous and painful veterinary conditions. Michael Sandlin, the owner of Tony and the truck stop, has been cited by the USDA due to violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including a lack of proper sanitation and improper feeding practices.
On April 11, 2011, ALDF filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and its secretary Robert Barham, arguing that he violated state law in granting a permit allowing Sandlin to exhibit Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop.
Join the Animal Legal Defense Fund in urging the state of Louisiana to revoke the permit that allows Tony to be kept at the Tiger Truck Stop—a permit that violates both state and local ordinances designed to protect people and wild animals like Tony. Sign the petition to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries now! Petition to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
I join the Animal Legal Defense Fund in urging the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to revoke the permit that allows Michael Sandlin to display Tony, a ten-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger, at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana, where he has lived with no other tiger companions since 2003.
Tony has spent every day and night of the last decade at the Tiger Truck Stop, where he is subjected to the stench of fuel and the deafening noise of diesel engines 24-hours a day.
What’s more, Tony is frequently harassed and taunted by visitors at the truck stop. His enclosure is devoid of adequate enrichment, such as logs, trees, or complex vegetation that would allow him to engage in natural tiger behaviors. He has no pool of water large enough to allow him to submerge himself to cool off in the blazing heat of the summer. As a result of the stress of confinement, Tony constantly paces on the hard concrete surface of his enclosure, putting him at risk for dangerous and painful veterinary conditions.
Tony’s confinement is clearly inhumane — and, as the Animal Legal Defense Fund is now arguing in court, it is also illegal, as your Department violated state law in granting Michael Sandlin’s permit. Please follow the regulations already set by the State of Louisiana to protect members of the public and tigers such as Tony by revoking Sandlin’s permit immediately. http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5154/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6207
ALDF Goes to Court for Tony the Truck Stop Tiger This Week!
May 2, 2011
Posted by April Nockleby, ALDF’s Online Content Manager on May 2nd, 2011
It’s time to take action! The Animal Legal Defense Fund is delivering petition signatures to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries this week when we fight for Tony’s freedom in East Baton Rouge District Court on Thursday, May 5th. This is your last chance before the hearing to join the over 27,000 people who have already signed the petition in ALDF’s fight to get Tony moved to a reputable and humane big cat sanctuary, where he can live out his natural life free of the fumes, toxins, and noise that make his current life so miserable.
Attorneys Fighting to Free Tony the Truck Stop Tiger Head to Court
May 4, 2011 Baton Rouge Court to Consider the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Lawsuit Against the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for Issuing Illegal Permit Allowing Tony to Be Kept on Display in Iberville Parish Baton Rouge, La. – Tomorrow morning, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) and outraged Louisiana residents will square off against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in East Baton Rouge District Court over the legality of a permit that allows Tony, a ten-year old Siberian-Bengal tiger, to be confined as a roadside exhibit at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La. In its lawsuit, filed on April 11, ALDF argues that the Department violated state law in granting the permit to Tony’s owner, Michael Sandlin. When: Thursday, May 5, 9:00am Where: East Baton Rouge District Courthouse, Judge R. Michael Caldwell’s courtroom, 300 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge
During Thursday’s hearing, the court will hear ALDF’s argument that Sandlin’s permit to own and display Tony should be invalidated, and that Tony should be released into the custody of ALDF or an accredited animal sanctuary, where he can receive care and treatment and live out his life in a more natural environment, free from the 24-hour exposure to noise and diesel fumes. The court may choose to issue a decision in the case immediately following the hearing.
ALDF’s lawsuit to free Tony has drawn the support of high profile advocates likeLeonardo DiCaprio and True Blood’sKristin Bauer and has galvanized activists around the world. This week, ALDF delivered to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries over 31,000 signed petitions urging it to revoke Sandlin’s permit to keep Tony. Tony has been on exhibit at the Tiger Truck Stop since 2000; he has lived there with no other tiger companions since 2003. Joining ALDF as a co-plaintiff in the case is former Louisiana Representative Warren Triche, who authored the state’s law that led to the ban on the private ownership of big cats, including tigers. Two other Louisiana residents, also deeply concerned by Tony’s long-time suffering, are additional co-plaintiffs. The law offices of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz, P.C. are providing pro bono assistance with the lawsuit.
“Louisiana has explicit regulations designed to protect tigers like Tony, and the Department has disregarded state law and misused taxpayer money in arbitrarily granting the permit that allows Michael Sandlin to keep Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop,” says ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells. “We are heading to court to ensure that Tony is no longer subjected to diesel fumes, harassment, and the unimaginable suffering of life in his lonely cage.”
Copies of the lawsuit and photographs of Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop are available upon request. An attorney for ALDF will be attending the hearing and available for interviews. Reporters attending the hearing should arrive in advance, as it is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. sharp. http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1699
True Blood’sKristin Bauer Talks Tony the Tiger in Exclusive Interview with ALDF
May 4, 2011
Posted by Lisa Franzetta, ALDF’s Director of Communications on May 4th, 2011
Kristin Bauer, the actress who portrays the lovely-but-lethal vampire Pam on HBO’s award-winning True Blood, recently teamed with the Animal Legal Defense Fund in the fight to free Tony, a Siberian-Bengal tiger who has been living in isolation as a “tourist attraction” at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana for the past decade. In her video message, she describes what makes Tony’s current life so miserable and urges people to take action.
“In the wild, Tony might roam a territory of one hundred square miles. But for the last decade, he has instead lived in his concrete enclosure, exposed to the noise of diesel engines and the stench of gasoline… Join me and the Animal Legal Defense Fund in urging the state of Louisiana to revoke the permit that allows Tony to be kept at the Tiger Truck Stop.”
We had a chance to talk one-on-one with Kristin about Tony and her concerns about his captivity. Check out this video of ALDF’s never-before-seen exclusive interview:
ALDF is going to court for Tony tomorrow! Join the over 28,000 people who have already signed our petition to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, urging them to revoke the permit that allows Tony to be displayed as a roadside spectacle at the Tiger Truck Stop.
Victory in Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Lawsuit to Free Tony the Truck Stop Tiger
May 6, 2011Baton Rouge Court Grants Permanent Injunction, Ordering Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to Stop Issuing Illegal Permit Allowing Tony to Be Kept on Display in Iberville Parish Baton Rouge, La. – This morning, a judge in East Baton Rouge District Court granted the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) request for a permanent injunction against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, preventing the Department from renewing the annual permit that allows Michael Sandlin, owner of Grosse Tete’s Tiger Truck Stop, to display Tony, a ten-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger. When the current permit expires in December 2011, Sandlin will no longer be able to keep Tony confined as a roadside exhibit at the truck stop where he has languished for over a decade. The court also assessed costs against the Department in the case.
In preparation for the day the current permit expires and Tony is finally free, ALDF hopes to work with the Department to find the best possible new home for him, providing recommendations for reputable sanctuaries where Tony can live out his life in a peaceful, natural environment, free from the 24-hour exposure to noise and diesel fumes that have plagued his life to date.
ALDF’s lawsuit to free Tony has drawn the support of high profile advocates like Leonardo DiCaprio and True Blood’sKristin Bauer and has galvanized activists around the world. This week, ALDF delivered to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries over 31,000 signed petitions urging it to revoke Sandlin’s permit to keep Tony. Tony has been on exhibit at the Tiger Truck Stop since 2001; he has lived there with no other tiger companions since 2003. Joining ALDF as a co-plaintiff in the case is former Louisiana Representative Warren Triche, who authored the state’s law that led to the ban on the private ownership of big cats, including tigers. Two other Louisiana residents, also deeply concerned by Tony’s long-time suffering, are additional co-plaintiffs. The law offices of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz, P.C. are providing pro bono assistance with the lawsuit.
“Today, the law was upheld in the state of Louisiana, which has explicit regulations designed to protect tigers like Tony,” says ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells. “It is an incredible victory for ALDF, the tens of thousands around the world who have supported this campaign, and most of all, for Tony. We eagerly look forward to the day that he leaves behind the noise and fumes of the Tiger Truck Stop for a new life of freedom that he has never known.” http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1700
Answers to Your Questions About ALDF’s Win for Tony the Tiger
May 6, 2011
Posted by Matthew Liebman, ALDF Staff Attorney on May 16th, 2011
In the wake of ALDF’s recent victory in the Tony the truck stop tiger case, we’ve received a lot of questions about the ruling. ALDF staff attorney Matthew Liebman answers some of these questions. Q: Why does Tony have to wait until December before he can leave the Tiger Truck Stop? A: Michael Sandlin’s current permit is valid until December 2011. The court enjoined the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries from issuing Mr. Sandlin a new permit when the current one expires. Although ALDF argued that the court had the authority and the obligation to order the Department to immediately revoke the permit, the court disagreed. The court directed the agency not to issue a new permit, but the current permit will stay valid until it expires in December. Q: Is there anything that can be done to get Tony released sooner? A: ALDF is looking at all of its legal options to determine whether further litigation could change the timeframe for Tony’s release. In the meantime, we’re encouraging our supporters to sign our petition urging the Department to revoke Mr. Sandlin’s permit. Even though the court refused to order the Department to revoke the current permit, the Department retains the authority to do so on its own if it chooses. Q: Where will Tony go in December? A: Although ALDF asked for custody of Tony in our lawsuit, the court refused to award him to us. That means the decision of where Tony goes in December is out of our hands. But ALDF will do everything it can to recommend and promote Tony’s release to a reputable, established, and humane sanctuary that will meet all of Tony’s needs.
Attorneys Fighting to Free Tony the Truck Stop Tiger Head Back to Court for New Trial
November 1st, 2011 Court Will Rule on Standing of Tony Supporters to Fight for Him in Court, Will Once Again Decide His Fate
Baton Rouge, La. – Tomorrow morning, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) and outraged Louisiana residents return to East Baton Rouge District Court to square off against the owner of the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La., where Tony, a Siberian-Bengal tiger, has been confined as a roadside exhibit for over a decade. The same court granted ALDF’s original request for a permanent injunction in May 2011, a ruling that would have prevented the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries from renewing in December the annual permit that allows Michael Sandlin, owner of the Tiger Truck Stop, to keep Tony on display. In August, the Louisiana Court of Appeals ruled that Michael Sandlin and the Tiger Truck Stop must be named as defendants in the lawsuit and ordered a new trial, vacating the trial court’s earlier decision. In addition to this new trial, the Court will consider a motion by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to contest the plaintiffs’ standing to bring the lawsuit to free Tony.
When:
Wednesday, November 2, 9:00 a.m. Where:
East Baton Rouge District Courthouse
Room 8B (Judge R. Michael Caldwell’s courtroom)
300 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge
Since ALDF filed its original lawsuit in April 2011, it has argued that the Department violated state law in granting the permit to Michael Sandlin. In tomorrow’s hearing, the Court will again hear ALDF’s argument that Sandlin’s permit to own and display Tony should be invalidated, and that Tony should be released into the custody of ALDF or an accredited animal sanctuary where he can receive care and treatment and live out his life in a more natural environment, free from the 24-hour exposure to noise and diesel fumes and the taunts of visitors. ALDF is requesting both a permanent injunction, which would mean the state could not renew Sandlin’s permit in December, and a mandatory injunction, which would require that Sandlin’s current permit be revoked. The Court may choose to issue a decision in the case immediately following the hearing.
Tony has been on exhibit at the Tiger Truck Stop since 2000; he has lived there with no other tiger companions since 2003. ALDF’s lawsuit to free Tony has drawn the support of high profile advocates like Leonardo DiCaprio and True Blood’sKristin Bauer and has galvanized activists around the world. The law offices of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz, P.C. are providing pro bono assistance with the lawsuit.
“The Animal Legal Defense Fund is confident that the trial court got the law right the first time around and will again make the best decision for Tony,” says ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells. “We would like nothing more than for Tony to spend this New Year’s in the comfort of an accredited sanctuary that is far better equipped to meet his basic needs and to give him the kind of life he deserves.” http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id=1859
Victory for Tony! Court Rules Current Permit Must Be Revoked
November 2, 2011 Update
November 2, 2011: Great news from Baton Rouge, where Judge Michael Caldwell has ruled in favor of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Louisiana taxpayers in our lawsuit to free Tony the Tiger from the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana.
Judge Caldwell agreed with ALDF’s argument that the permit that allows Sandlin to keep Tony was unlawfully issued by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The judge ordered the Department to revoke the current permit and prohibited it from issuing any new permits to the Truck Stop. “We are thrilled that the court made the right decision,” says ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells. “We will continue to do everything we can to make sure Tony’s next home is a reputable, accredited sanctuary that can give Tony the life he deserves.” http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id=1859
What is Best for Tony the Tiger?
Novemer 7, 2011
Posted by Joyce Tischler, ALDF’s Founder and General Counsel on November 7th, 2011 Tony is an 11-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger.
For most of his life, he has lived in a cage at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana. He is a roadside attraction.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund has sued to get Tony out of that cage. We hope that Tony can be sent to a sanctuary, where he can live out his life in a more natural environment. Last week, we won our lawsuit in the East Baton Rouge District Court. The judge ordered the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries not to renew the annual permit that allows the truck stop to keep him in that cage, and ordered the Department to revoke the current permit.
Michael Sandlin, owner of Tiger Truck Stop, thinks Tony should stay at the truck stop. He says that’s Tony’s home and that people like to come and see him.
Many Americans view wild animals as “specimens” to be kept in a jar and brought out for us to gaze upon. There is something inherently wrong with that assumption and, to the extent that we can get inside the mind of a wild tiger stuck in a cage in Louisiana, let’s look at this situation from the perspective of what’s best for Tony.
According to National Geographic, there are only about 400-500 Siberian tigers and less than 2,500 Bengal tigers left in the wild. These sub-species are critically endangered. “Tigers live alone and aggressively scent-mark large territories to keep their rivals away. They are powerful hunters that travel many miles to find prey, such as elk and wild boar, on nocturnal hunts… Despite their fearsome reputation, most tigers avoid humans…”
This is worth repeating: in their natural habitat, tigers travel great distances to hunt and they avoid contact with human beings.
In contrast, let’s take a look at Tony’s environment.
You can see a video of Tony in his roadside cage:
Look closely at Tony. Do you notice the way he walks back and forth? That is called “stereotypic behavior,” repetitive or ritualistic movement, such as pacing or rocking. This is abnormal behavior; it is not the way Tony would act in his natural habitat and it is a sign that something is very wrong.
According to experts, “(p)ossible explanations…include that carnivore pacing represents frustrated escape attempts (to forage, range, reach a mate, or for any one of a host of reasons)” or because species that usually roam over a wide range of land have been “rendered more dysfunctional by captivity…” “Stereotypic Animal Behaviour – Fundamentals and Applications for Welfare” (2nd ed.) – eds. Georgia Mason and Jeff Rushen (CABI, 2006).
Tony is not a play-toy or a stuffed animal or large puppy hoping to get someone’s attention. He’s a tiger and he has been denied the basic right to be a tiger – a wild animal living and hunting according to his natural instincts in his native habitat. Can anyone seriously argue that a wild tiger wants to be spend his entire life stuck in a cage at a truck stop, inhaling gasoline fumes and having to be in close proximity to the human beings his instincts are telling him to run away from? Seriously?
And, while we’re on the subject, there are thousands of other wild animals exploited in this way all over the U.S. Once again, if you look closely, there are visible signs telling us why wild animals should not be in captivity: the recent incident in Ohio, where dozens of wild animals were let loose by their owner and slaughtered by local police; Tyke, the elephant who broke loose after years of performing tricks in the circus. Tyke killed one person, injured several others and was thereafter killed on the streets of Honolulu; Travis, the “pet” chimpanzee in Connecticut who attacked a woman and badly mutilated her face; Tilikum, the captive orca (killer whale) at Orlando’s Sea World, who has killed three human beings so far. These are just a few of the incidents that serve as wake-up calls that wild animals have no place in captivity. Wild animals are being victimized every step of the way – by being removed from their native environments, by suffering in a life of captivity and, if they manage to escape, by being summarily killed.
We want to do the right thing for Tony. He can no longer survive in the wild, but he can go to a reputable sanctuary and live his life with far more dignity and less stress. I urge public officials to stop ignoring the obvious and deal realistically with the problems caused by allowing individuals to keep wild animals in captivity: ban private ownership, sale, purchase, possession and custody of wild animals.
Tony, a Siberian-Bengal mix, paces in his play area at Tiger Truck Stop on Sunday. The truck stop owners plan to appeal a judge’s decision to revoke their permit. MORGAN SEARLES / The Daily Reveille
State district judge revoked permit
By Morgan Searles
Staff Writer
Published: Sunday, November 6, 2011
Updated: Sunday, November 6, 2011 23:11
After 24 years of hosting a live tiger at its business, Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La., may lose its namesake, a Siberian-Bengal mix named Tony.
State District Judge Mike Caldwell ruled Nov. 2 to revoke the permit that allows Tiger Truck Stop to keep the exotic animal. Caldwell said the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, who issued the truck stop's permit, violated its own rule by allowing a corporation to own the tiger.
Corporations are not allowed to own a big cat under state law. But individuals were able to own the exotic animals until 2006, when the Louisiana state legislature passed an act to control ownership. Today, no individual may own a big cat unless they owned it before 2006, in which case the ownership is grandfathered into the law.
This exemption isn't extended to the Tiger Truck Stop, which has owned tigers for the past 24 years, because they have always been owned by the corporation, not an individual, according to the Associated Press.
Under Caldwell's ruling, Tiger Truck Stop will not be allowed to receive another permit from Wildlife and Fisheries to keep Tony.
Michael Sandlin, owner of Tiger Truck Stop, said he plans to file an appeal with the First Circuit Court of Appeals in hopes of keeping Tony at the truck stop.
Sandlin said he also plans to file a discrimination lawsuit against the state because of laws forbidding individuals from owning big cats.
"We feel new state law banning private ownership discriminates against persons like myself," he said. "It's the same license LSU and the zoo has. Why are they allowed to keep animals and I'm not?"
According to Louisiana law, university mascots are exempt from the exotic big-cat ban, allowing LSU's Mike VI to legally live without an individual owner, unlike Tony.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund in Cotati, Calif., filed a lawsuit April 11 against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and its secretary Robert Barham to revoke the permit and remove the tiger from the truck stop.
The Louisiana Court of Appeals ordered a new trial in August to add Tiger Truck Stop and Sandlin as defendants.
According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund web site, with the Nov. 2 ruling, the organization intends to see Tony placed in an accredited sanctuary, but Sandlin said if he were forced to relocate Tony, the tiger would go to an exotic animal park in Oklahoma.
Sandlin is promoting a petition and several Tony-related web pages, including savetony.com and a Facebook paged called "Keep Tony Where He Is," to gather support.
Tony's habitat includes a 3,600 square-foot cage with a grassy area, toys, a water tank and an air-conditioned enclosure. A 10-foot chain-link fence with barbed wire surrounds the cage.
Sandlin said the cost of keeping Tony is about $1,500 each month for feeding and veterinary care.
Sandlin said he and his brother inherited the tradition of keeping tigers at the truck stop from his father. The stop has hosted ten surviving tigers, with as many as five adult tigers in the exhibit at one time.
"We have a history of tigers living long and happy lives at the truck stop," Sandlin said. "It fits in real nice with Baton Rouge and LSU being Tiger country, and there's so many people that have gotten so much enjoyment form the tigers being here over the years. That's something I wouldn't trade for anything."
Sandlin said he's determined to find a way to keep the tiger.
"We're going to do everything we can do to keep Tony at home where he belongs," he said.
You may well ask what on earth does this Blog title mean!
I have on previous occasions acknowledged the splendid job that Yves Smith does in terms of publishing the blog, Naked Capitalism. I’m sure that I will have cause to mention her splendid Blog again. Frankly, I don’t know how Yves finds the time to relentlessly publish every day a whole skew of articles and lots of links to other articles that have caught her eye. So why the mention today?
Well this evening is the first of four evenings where I am running a course at our local Church Hall. It’s a new project for me and the last few days have been ‘interesting’ as I get my stuff together and fret about it all, as I am wont to do!
So it was a blessing to find that the links presented on Naked Capitalism yesterday (10th) contained some wonderful stories that seemed appropriate for all you good readers, with the bonus that it allowed me to focus on last-minute preparations for the course.
Here’s the first one that caught my eye, published on the Care2 website, not a website that I had come across before.
Victory! ALDF Wins Freedom for Tony the Truck Stop Tiger
Tony, the 10-year-old Siberian Bengal tiger who’s been at the heart of an ongoing catfight over his living conditions at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La., has had his freedom granted!
On Friday, May 6, District Judge R. Michael Caldwell of the East Baton Rouge District Court granted the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) request for a permanent injunction against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), preventing them from renewing the annual permit that allows Michael Sandlin to keep Tony as of this December 14.
Unbeknownst to Tony, he’s garnered the attention of people around the world who have been fighting to have him freed from the concrete cell he’s spent his entire life in for years. Unfortunately, officials have bent the rules and looked the other way when it came to the Tiger Truck Stop.
From the Care2 article, there was a link to the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the following press release.
Victory in Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Lawsuit to Free Tony the Truck Stop Tiger
May 6th, 2011 Baton Rouge Court Grants Permanent Injunction, Ordering Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to Stop Issuing Illegal Permit Allowing Tony to Be Kept on Display in Iberville Parish
For immediate release
Contact:
Lisa Franzetta, Animal Legal Defense Fund
Megan Backus, Animal Legal Defense Fund
BATON ROUGE, La. – This morning, a judge in East Baton Rouge District Court granted the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) request for a permanent injunction against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, preventing the Department from renewing the annual permit that allows Michael Sandlin, owner of Grosse Tete’s Tiger Truck Stop, to displayTony, a ten-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger. When the current permit expires in December 2011, Sandlin will no longer be able to keep Tony confined as a roadside exhibit at the truck stop where he has languished for over a decade. The court also assessed costs against the Department in the case.
In preparation for the day the current permit expires and Tony is finally free, ALDF hopes to work with the Department to find the best possible new home for him, providing recommendations for reputable sanctuaries where Tony can live out his life in a peaceful, natural environment, free from the 24-hour exposure to noise and diesel fumes that have plagued his life to date.
ALDF’s lawsuit to free Tony has drawn the support of high profile advocates like Leonardo DiCaprio and True Blood’sKristin Bauer and has galvanized activists around the world. This week, ALDF delivered to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries over 31,000 signed petitions urging it to revoke Sandlin’s permit to keep Tony. Tony has been on exhibit at the Tiger Truck Stop since 2001; he has lived there with no other tiger companions since 2003. Joining ALDF as a co-plaintiff in the case is former Louisiana Representative Warren Triche, who authored the state’s law that led to the ban on the private ownership of big cats, including tigers. Two other Louisiana residents, also deeply concerned by Tony’s long-time suffering, are additional co-plaintiffs. The law offices of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz, P.C. are providing pro bonoassistance with the lawsuit.
“Today, the law was upheld in the state of Louisiana, which has explicit regulations designed to protect tigers like Tony,” says ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells. “It is an incredible victory for ALDF, the tens of thousands around the world who have supported this campaign, and most of all, for Tony. We eagerly look forward to the day that he leaves behind the noise and fumes of the Tiger Truck Stop for a new life of freedom that he has never known.”
Tony the Tiger
Splendid, splendid result which serendipitously led me to another aspect of tigers that I want to present to you tomorrow.
Michael Sandlin, left, and Joe Schreibvogel, U.S. Zoological Association president, discuss Tony the Tiger’s living conditions at a Grosse Tete truck stop on a radio show Aug. 17. State District Judge Mike Caldwell ruled Wednesday that Louisiana law forbids the tiger from being kept at the truck stop.
Bill Lodge
Advocate staff writer
November 03, 2011
Tony, a 550-pound Siberian-Bengal tiger, is not permitted by Louisiana law to remain at a Grosse Tete truck stop, state District Judge Mike Caldwell ruled Wednesday in Baton Rouge. Caldwell issued a similar ruling in May, but the state’s 1st Circuit Court of Appeal directed him to hold a second hearing that included arguments on behalf of Michael Sandlin, owner of Tiger Truck Stop Inc. near Interstate 10 in Iberville Parish.
“The intent of the law is on my side,” Sandlin insisted after the hearing. Sandlin and his attorney, Steve LeBlanc, said Caldwell’s latest decision will be appealed. LeBlanc said he will ask the 1st Circuit to permit a suspensive appeal, which would allow Sandlin to keep Tony at the truck stop until after an appellate decision has been rendered. Caldwell concluded Wednesday that the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries violated its own rules by exempting Sandlin and Tiger Truck Stop from permit requirements for owners of big cats.
Caldwell ordered Wildlife and Fisheries to pay all costs of the proceedings, which were initiated by a civil suit filed by the nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund. Frederick Whitrock, attorney for Wildlife and Fisheries, would not comment on Caldwell’s decision after the hearing.
Bo Boehringer, deputy press secretary for Wildlife and Fisheries, later said: “The judge’s decision is being reviewed right now. We don’t have a statement at this time.” Lisa Franzetta, communications director for the Animal Legal Defense Fund, said Caldwell’s ruling was in the best interest of the tiger and public safety.
“We believe Tony shouldn’t be kept there,” Franzetta said. “He shouldn’t be kept at a truck stop as a roadside show.”
Franzetta added the big cat should “live out his life in an accredited sanctuary.” If he loses his appeals, Sandlin said, “Where Tony goes is up to me.”
Sandlin said he would send Tony to GW Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Okla. “If I had to relocate him tomorrow, that’s where he would go,” Sandlin added.
“That’s not an accredited sanctuary,” Franzetta said. She added that the Animal Legal Defense Fund will research state laws for a means of sending Tony to such a sanctuary.
“That’s our endgame in this case,” Franzetta added.
A couple years ago, animal lovers who learned that Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana, had an actual tiger on the property began to fight to free Tony to a sanctuary. People from across the country started petitions on Change.org for a boycott of Tiger Truck Stop and to ask the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries not to renew the permit that kept Tony behind bars. They gathered thousands of supporters and created Facebook and Twitter accounts to get Tony's story out in the open.
It worked, attracting celebrities and animal advocates to speak out for Tony. And in fall 2010, the Animal Legal Defense Fund took a look at Tony's situation and found that the permit keeping him at Tiger Truck Stop never should have been issued because it violated local and state laws around big cat ownership.
ALDF took the state of Louisiana to court. They also started a new petition on Change.org in support of their case, asking LDWF to revoke Tiger Truck Stop's permit. They quickly gained more than 12,000 signatures and, after winning in court only to be sent back to the beginning of the process with an amended complaint, on November 2, 2011, Judge Michael Caldwell ruled in favor of the ALDF and Louisiana taxpayers.
LDWF now has to revoke the current permit and cannot issue any more to Tiger Truck Stop. Animal Legal Defense Fund and Tony's supporters are working to make sure Tony gets released to a reputable sanctuary.
UPDATE: October 7, 2011: The exception hearing on October 17th is rescheduled to November 2nd when the court will also hear The Animal Legal Defense Fund ‘s motion for a permanent injunction to revoke the permit which allows Mr. Sandlin to keep Tony at the truck stop.
Link to online document: http://www.911animalabuse.com/images/USDAViolations/2008Tiger_Truck_Stop_Factsheet.pdf
Other PETA reference found with respect to Tony from November 25, 2008: http://blog.peta.org/archives/2008/11/activists_knock.php and the updated response from PETA regarding Tony: http://freetonythetiger.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/roar-for-%e2%99%a5tony%e2%99%a5-peta-response-regarding-tony-7-14-2010/
Tiger Truck Stop has failed to meet minimal federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as established in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited the truck stop for unsanitary feeding practices, mishandling tigers, failure to provide veterinary care, failure to provide shelter from inclement weather, failure to provide clean drinking water, and repeatedly failing to have knowledgeable employees caring for the tigers. A tiger cub died when he was taken to a veterinarian for declawing. Tiger Truck Stop has bred and sold tiger cubs to tourists and through raffles. Tigers are kept in concrete cages as a novelty display to amuse customers. Contact PETA for documentation. July 2, 2007:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to clean cages as often as necessary to maintain adequate sanitation. July 26, 2006:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to maintain structurally sound cages for the tigers. April 25, 2003:
A USDA order assessed Tiger Truck Stop a $2,500 fine and limited the facility to possessing or exhibiting no more than two exotic cats because of repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act. November 12, 2002:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to correct a previously identified noncompliance of not utilizing a sufficient number of adequately trained employees. August 15, 2002:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to correct previously identified noncompliances of not utilizing a sufficient number of adequately trained employees to care for the animals (the only caretaker’s hours had been cut and he had not received training as mandated by previous reports) and failure to provide food free of contamination and of sufficient nutritive quality. Tiger Truck Stop was also cited for improper food storage. May 9, 2002:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to correct previous noncompliances of not maintaining structurally sound facilities, which “indicate an ongoing lack of maintenance plan,” and failure to utilize a sufficient number of adequately trained employees, which was demonstrated by a lack of veterinary care. There was only one employee assigned to care for five large cats in addition to other tasks. Tiger Truck Stop was also cited for failure to provide veterinary care to a female tiger who appeared to have “arthritis or some form of posterior paralysis” and exhibited “severe atrophy of quadriceps muscles,” as well as failure to provide food of sufficient nutritive quality and prepared in a manner to prevent contamination. October 9, 2001:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to correct a previously identified noncompliance of mishandling tigers. The inspector wrote, “[The] [c]aretaker informed me [that the two tiger cubs] were removed … a week ago … for declawing. The first evening at the veterinarian’s, the male cub died.” Tiger Truck Stop was cited for failure to maintain facilities. The inspector wrote, “There has been no progress in repairing and/or repainting metal bars. This total neglect is resulting in rapid deterioration of [the] structural soundness of [the] entire facility and may result in future escapes.” The USDA also cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to have a sufficient number of adequately trained employees. The inspector wrote, “Over the past several inspections, I have dealt with different employees whose primary function was not animal care. [The] [m]anagement of this facility does not seem to place great store [in] or adequately reward caretakers. … [J]udg[ing] by the state of disrepair of the facility, more outside help … is required. … There is also some question as to the expertise of the employee caring for the cubs, [one of whom] died.” July 24, 2001:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to have a program of veterinary care, for mishandling animals, for failure to maintain cages, and for improper food storage. The inspector wrote, “Two 3-week-old cubs [are] being bottle raised in [the] truck stop office. They are loose in [the] manager’s office and are being shown to customers. For their own safety and health, these cubs must be moved to a designated area which is in compliance and off limits to customers. They must also be contained to prevent [their] being walked on or otherwise injured. … By virtue of being loose, they have extreme potential of ingesting harmful agents.” August 23, 1999:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for unsanitary feeding practices, failure to clean water receptacles with algae growth, and poor housekeeping. November 5, 1997:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to provide shelter from inclement weather. September 12, 1997:
According to The Baton Rouge Advocate, Tiger Truck Stop sold two tiger cubs for $2,500 to a couple passing through on a camping trip. One of the cubs suffered from fluid collection around the joints in her front legs, a condition linked to living on concrete. August 9, 1996:
According to The Baton Rouge Advocate, hazardous materials workers from several agencies, wearing protective gear, worked to control a leak of a hazardous and corrosive chemical called formic acid from a box trailer parked at the Tiger Truck Stop. December 14, 1993:
According to The New Orleans Times-Picayune, Tiger Truck Stop was evacuated for five hours after a tanker truck ruptured, spilling 400 gallons of highly flammable aviation fuel at the truck stop. September 14, 1993:
According to The Baton Rouge Advocate, Tiger Truck Stop, another truck stop, and 60 homes were evacuated after a driver reported that his trailer was smoking. The trailer was packed with drums of highly toxic sodium cyanide. November 6, 1989:
According to the Houston Chronicle, Tiger Truck Stop was raffling off an 11-month-old, 350-pound Bengal tiger named Gloria who was living in a 16′x7′x7′ cage attached to a flatbed trailer. The entry forms, which released Tiger Truck Stop from liability, informed potential winners that they could “donate [her] to a zoo, sell [her], or give [her] to a friend” in the event that the winner did not want to keep the cub. July 24, 2001:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to have a program of veterinary care, for mishandling animals, for failure to maintain cages, and for improper food storage. The inspector wrote, “Two 3-week-old cubs [are] being bottle raised in [the] truck stop office. They are loose in [the] manager’s office and are being shown to customers. For their own safety and health, these cubs must be moved to a designated area which is in compliance and off limits to customers. They must also be contained to prevent [their] being walked on or otherwise injured. … By virtue of being loose, they have extreme potential of ingesting harmful agents.” August 23, 1999:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for unsanitary feeding practices, failure to clean water receptacles with algae growth, and poor housekeeping. November 5, 1997:
The USDA cited Tiger Truck Stop for failure to provide shelter from inclement weather. September 12, 1997:
According to The Baton Rouge Advocate, Tiger Truck Stop sold two tiger cubs for $2,500 to a couple passing through on a camping trip. One of the cubs suffered from fluid collection around the joints in her front legs, a condition linked to living on concrete. August 9, 1996:
According to The Baton Rouge Advocate, hazardous materials workers from several agencies, wearing protective gear, worked to control a leak of a hazardous and corrosive chemical called formic acid from a box trailer parked at the Tiger Truck Stop. December 14, 1993:
According to The New Orleans Times-Picayune, Tiger Truck Stop was evacuated for five hours after a tanker truck ruptured, spilling 400 gallons of highly flammable aviation fuel at the truck stop. September 14, 1993:
According to The Baton Rouge Advocate, Tiger Truck Stop, another truck stop, and 60 homes were evacuated after a driver reported that his trailer was smoking. The trailer was packed with drums of highly toxic sodium cyanide. November 6, 1989:
According to the Houston Chronicle, Tiger Truck Stop was raffling off an 11-month-old, 350-pound Bengal tiger named Gloria who was living in a 16′x7′x7′ cage attached to a flatbed trailer. The entry forms, which released Tiger Truck Stop from liability, informed potential winners that they could “donate [her] to a zoo, sell [her], or give [her] to a friend” in the event that the winner did not want to keep the cub.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510
757-622-7382 • PETA.org • Circuses.com
Tiger Truck Stop Factsheet
Updated April 9, 2008 http://www.911animalabuse.com/images/USDAViolations/2008Tiger_Truck_Stop_Factsheet.pdf
“Animals do have a voice. If you ignore their suffering, I will remind you of it. If you don't understand them, I will translate. If you don't hear them, I will be their voice. You may silence them but you cannot silence me as long as I live.” ~ Anita Mahdessian
We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form. ~William Ralph Inge, Outspoken Essays, 1922
The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor, "Can they talk?" but rather, "Can they suffer?" ~Jeremy Bentham
Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage.
~Sri Aurobindo
SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TONY THE TRUCK STOP TIGER.
"There is something obviously wrong when the laws are broken and changed to cater to one individual, whose greed, ignorance, and cruelty were more important to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries than the welfare of Tony."
UPDATE: October 7, 2011: The exception hearing on October 17th is rescheduled to November 2nd when the court will also hear The Animal Legal Defense Fund ‘s motion for a permanent injunction to revoke the permit which allows Mr. Sandlin to keep Tony at the truck stop. UPDATE: September 20, 2011: Via The Animal Legal Defense Fund: The court has scheduled two new hearings in the Tony the Tiger case. On October 17th, the court will hear the State’s exceptions, which challenge the plaintiffs’ standing to bring the case. On November 2nd, the court will hear ALDF’s motion for a permanent injunction to revoke the permit that lets Michael Sandlin confine Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop. UPDATE: August 29, 2011: Via The Animal Legal Defense Fund: “This morning, the Louisiana Court of Appeals ruled that Michael Sandlin and the Tiger Truck Stop are necessary parties to the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s lawsuit to free Tony the Tiger and ordered a new trial in the case. In so ruling, the Court vacated the permanent injunction issued by the trial court that would have freed Tony in December. The decision means ALDF will need to amend its complaint to add the new defendants, then re-do the litigation thus far. While we disagree with the Court of Appeals’ ruling, this is just a minor set-back. We are confident that the trial court got the law right the first time around and will rule the same way when we go through it again with Mr. Sandlin and the Tiger Truck Stop as parties.” UPDATE: August 15, 2011: Today’s exception hearing concerning Mr. Sandlin’s attempt to have the case dismissed has been denied. The judge will not allow the “interveners” to be party to the suit or to have the case dismissed. UPDATE: On August 15, lawyers for ALDF will be in court in Baton Rouge to defend against Michael Sandlin's, attempt to get the case dismissed. The Court has also set a hearing date of September 15 for ALDF’s motion for a mandatory injunction, which seeks an immediate revocation of Sandlin’s permit to keep Tony. UPDATE: July 18 2011: The hearing scheduled for July 22, 2011 has been postponed. More information will be posted when available. UPDATE: June 28 2011: A hearing is now scheduled for July 22. Please continue to support Tony by signing his petitions and voicing your concern for him. Petition links and information on actions you can take for Tony:Your Continued Support For Tony Is Needed!! Thank you. UPDATE: June 14, 2011: The hearing scheduled for June 14 has been postponed to a later date yet to be determined. The hearing was continued to provide the Department an opportunity to conduct discovery, an essential stage of the litigation process. UPDATE: June 3, 2011: Next Steps in ALDF's Fight to Free Tony the Truck Stop Tiger http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id=1723 A new hearing on the motion for a mandatory injunction has been set for June 14. UPDATE: May 16, 2011 From ALDF: Answers to Your Questions About ALDF’s Win for Tony the Tiger http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1711 UPDATE: Victory in Animal Legal Defense Fund's Lawsuit to Free Tony the Truck Stop Tiger!! May 6, 2011 More info: : http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id=1700 UPDATE: ALDF goes to court for Tony May 5, 2011. More info: http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1699 UPDATE: On April 11, 2011 The Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and its Secretary Robert Barham. The lawsuit argues that the permit issued by the LDWF which allows Tony to be kept on display at the truck stop violates state and local laws. Read more at: www.aldf.org/tony.There are two ALDf sponsred petitions for Tony; please sign and share the links: http://tinyurl.com/tonyaldfpetition and http://www.change.org/petitions/speak-out-for-tony-the-truck-stop-tiger
Tony is an 11 year old Siberian/Bengal tiger used as a roadside attraction at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete Louisiana. Tony is another example of how serious the problem is of private ownership of tigers in the United States where there are more privately owned tigers then there are left in the wild.
UPDATE: On December 14, 2010 The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries renewed their permit to Tony’s owner, Michael Sandlin allowing him to keep and display Tony at the truck stop. http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/latest/112048634.html
Tony’s owner, Michael Sandlin, has bought, sold, bred, and exhibited tigers for over 20 years. In 2003, because of violations and fines, Mr. Sandlin and the USDA made an agreement where 3 of the 4 tigers he owned, Toby, Khan and Rainbow, were sent to Tiger Haven in Kingston TN. The USDA reduced the fines and allowed Mr. Sandlin to keep one tiger, Tony. http://www.lsureveille.com/news/tigers-find-new-home-after-suffering-neglect-1.1196294#5
The Louisiana legislature passed Act 715 in 2006 which prohibited the ownership and sale of large exotic cats, including tigers in Louisiana. http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/byinst.asp?sessionid=06RS&billid=HB795&doctype=ALL
Those individuals who legally owned big cats as of August 15, 2006 were grandfathered in under this act. These owners would need to apply for an annual permit from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and adhere to additional restrictions and stipulations. http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4a2_exotic_animals_state.php?s=la
On July 20, 2007 The Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries wrote to Michael Sandlin informing him of the new state rules. He was given an application to fill out and submit and was told Tony would be grandfathered in if the permit was issued.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries wrote Michael Sandlin on October 22, 2008 advising him that his application had been placed on hold based upon their discovery of the 1993 Iberville ban. Part of their new rules (LAC 76: V. 115. H.13) require that the facility be in compliance with all local ordinances. It was discovered that the 1993 Iberville Parish ordinance prohibited ownership and display of exotic animals such as tigers, but the ordinance was never enforced. Original and Amended Ordinance: http://freetonythetiger.wordpress.com/revised-ordinance/
Because he was not in compliance with the 1993 Iberville ordinance ban on displaying wild animals, Mr. Sandlin was issued a citation form the LDW&F on November 17, 2008 and given 30 days to find a home for Tony outside the state of Louisiana. Mr. Sandlin was given until December 16, 2008 to relocate Tony. Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit educational accredited big cat sanctuary in Tampa Florida wrote to Mr. Sandlin on November 22, 2008 and offered to take Tony and provide a permanent home for him at no cost to Mr. Sandlin. Big Cat Rescue’s offer went unanswered and they contacted Maria Davidson, Large Carnivore Project Manager at the LDW&F and offered their assistance to seize Tony.
Mr. Sandlin filed a petition for a temporary restraining order on December 15, 2008 against the LDW&F to stop them from seizing Tony. Judge J. Robin Free signed the order on December 16, 2008. http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/36235154.html
December 16, 2008 Iberville Parish Council Meeting:
The issue of what to do with the tiger was not on the council’s agenda, but members agreed to let one representative from each delegation have three minutes to state their cases. http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/36281259.html?showAll=y&c=y
December 22, 2008
A court hearing that had been set for Dec. 29 was postponed to allow the council time to consider amending a 1993 parish ordinance that bars private individuals from exhibiting dangerous, wild animals such as tigers http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/36675329.html?showAll=y&c=y
February 17, 2009 Iberville Parish Council Meeting
The council voted 11-1 to allow Tiger Truck Stop owner Michael Sandlin, to keep Tony — a decision that directly opposes parish ordinances restricting private ownership of exotic and dangerous animals. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,495805,00.html
February 28, 2009
Iberville Parish President J. Mitchell Ourso Jr. vetoed a parish ordinance the council approved on February 17, 2009 to allow a Mr. Sandlin to continue keeping a tiger at his place of business. In his veto message, Ourso wrote that the ordinance the council passed by a vote of 11-1 was deficient because it failed to provide “for permitting conditions to ensure the safety of the general public and the health and welfare of the tiger.” http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/40463797.html?showAll=y&c=y
March 17, 2009 Iberville Parish Council Meeting
The Iberville Parish Council voted Tuesday (March 17) to allow Tony the Tiger to stay at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, but only if an upgrade of his habitat will be made. http://www.postsouth.com/archive/x108134875/Parish-Council-outlines-conditions-for-truck-stop-to-keep-tiger Amended Ordinance: http://library3.municode.com:80/default-test/template.htm?view=browse&doc_action=setdoc&doc_keytype=tocid&doc_key=116a588c404eed65e629934fc73b489e&infobase=11017
Mr. Sandlin then had to obtain a permit from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. A statement from the LDW&F large carnivore manager Maria Davidson read: "It is the Department's position that private possession of tigers poses a significant hazard to public safety and is detrimental to the health of the animal. Prolonged confinement is by its nature stressful to tigers and proper long-term care by experienced persons is essential to the health of the animal.” http://www.examiner.com/x-16570-New-Orleans-Pet-Rescue-Scene-Examiner~y2009m8d16-Followup-on-Tony-the-Tiger-in-Grosse-Tete
Contrary to this statement, on December 14, 2009, the LDW&F granted the permit to Mr. Sandlin which allows him to keep Tony on display 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the truck stop. http://freetonythetiger.wordpress.com/ldwf-grants-permit-to-tiger-truck-stop-12-29-2009/
July 2010 marked Tony’s tenth year of life as well as ten years at the truck stop. A captive tiger’s lifespan with the proper medical care, diet, habitat and enrichment is 15 to 20 years. Tony lives amid the noise and fumes of car and trucks continually, and his primary dwelling is a concrete and steel enclosure. He has no opportunity to run, swim and receives no enrichment. His health, safety, welfare and quality of life are of great concern to many people all over the world. Accredited big cat sanctuaries stand ready to provide a permanent home for Tony. The Free Tony The Tiger Campaign is committed to relocating Tony to such a sanctuary so he may live the rest of his years in peace and with the care and respect this magnificent cat deserves.
Update
Kristin’s love for animals began when she was a little girl growing up on a Wisconsin farm, riding horses and taking in stray cats. Now in Los Angeles with her family of rescue animals, Kristin is an outspoken advocate on issues like animal testing, puppy mills, and animals, like Tony, who are exploited for human entertainment. “I can speak about animals in entertainment because I chose to be an entertainer,” Kristin explained in an exclusive interview with ALDF. “I have choice; an animal doesn’t. Can you imagine being taken from your home and forced into a job you’re not suited for? It’s incredibly selfish to imagine that another being has to live a life he wouldn’t choose just to entertain me.”
Award-winning actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio is the latest high-profile supporter to join the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s campaign to free Tony the tiger, who has spent the last decade at Louisiana’s Tiger Truck Stop.
It’s time to take action! The Animal Legal Defense Fund is delivering petition signatures to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries this week when we fight for Tony’s freedom in East Baton Rouge District Court on Thursday, May 5th. This is your last chance before the hearing to join the over 27,000 people who have already signed the petition in ALDF’s fight to get Tony moved to a reputable and humane big cat sanctuary, where he can live out his natural life free of the fumes, toxins, and noise that make his current life so miserable.
Baton Rouge, La. – Tomorrow morning, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) and outraged Louisiana residents will square off against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in East Baton Rouge District Court over the legality of a permit that allows Tony, a ten-year old Siberian-Bengal tiger, to be confined as a roadside exhibit at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La. In its lawsuit, filed on April 11, ALDF argues that the Department violated state law in granting the permit to Tony’s owner, Michael Sandlin.
Update
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