Tiger King Park Closed by Feds as They Seize 68 Endangered, Big Cats
Federal agents seized sixty-eight big cats from the private zoo Tiger King Park in Oklahoma a few days ago as part of a court-approved agreement.
The US Department of Justice announced the seizure of the animals, stating it is part of the agreement by the Department of Justice against owners Jeffery and Lauren Lowe. The Lowes were accused in civil court for allegedly repeatedly mistreating the animals protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Animal Welfare Act.
The original complaint filed against the Lowes dates back to November 2020.
The Tiger King Park, featured prominently in the Netflix hit series "Tiger King," was the home to numerous protected animals, including tigers, lions, lion-tiger hybrids, and one jaguar.
The Netflix series "Tiger King" featured Joe Exotic and also included Jeffrey Lowe in the documentary. Joe Exotic, alias Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is in a Texas federal prison for his conviction. In 2020 he was found guilty of participating in a murder-for-hire scheme against an animal zoo competitor and violating federal wildlife laws in his popular Big Cat park.
In the finale of "Tiger King," Lowe was shown moving the Big Cats to Thackerville, Oklahoma, after their prior home, the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, closed.
In a hearing on May 13, before the Big Cats' seizure from the property, the judge ruled the Lowes were in contempt of court since they did not comply with prior court orders dating back to November 2020 to care for the sixty-eight protected animals properly.
The courts had conducted three separate inspections since December 2020 of the Tiger King Park. The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service released an affidavit saying inspectors found the animals were not receiving a nutritional diet, had inadequate and untimely veterinarian care, and no proper shelter from the weather.
The affidavit states, "The Lowes have consistently failed to provide their Big Cats with a diet containing the necessary nutrients to allow them to grow properly and thrive."
Inspectors said in the affidavit the animals showed the effects the poor diet had upon them and were suffering from lameness, stunted growth, skin lesions and neurological issues.
The judge said the couple did not follow the instructions to hire a qualified veterinarian for the animals and create and follow a veterinarian's care plan.
The Lowe's attorney Daniel Card told the judge the Lowes no longer want anything to do with the Tiger King Park and "want out completely. They don't want to fight this anymore. They don't want to do it."
In response, Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas McQuaid said the animals are moving to "responsible animal preserves where they can be safely maintained rather than exploited."
The Oklahoma seizure of the Big Cats gained national attention. Former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, the co-chair of the National Law Enforcement Council for Animal Wellness Action, said the feds stepped in to help protect the Big Cats.
"Joe Exotic and Jeff Lowe ran slipshod operations, and the chickens have come home to roost," Edmondson said.
A statement from the Justice Department noted the seizure of the Big Cats and animals serves as a warning for anyone abusing endangered animals.
The Environment and Natural Resources Division acting assistant attorney general Jean E. Williams said, "This seizure should send a clear message that the Justice Department takes alleged harm to captive-bred animals protected under the Endangered Species Act very seriously."
