LDW&F Permit 2009

LDW&F Grants Permit To Tiger Truck Stop 12.29.2009

All of the articles  found on the web so far concerning the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ decision to grant the permit to the Tiger Truck Stop are listed here.  The permit was granted on December 14th 2009. Please take the time to visit the actual links to these articles and post comments where there is an option to do so.

I have also written/emailed the reporters of these articles as well as those at the LDW&F namely Maria Davidson and Fred Kimmel; Governor Jindal, Louisiana Senators Vitter and Landrieu, Secretary Robert Barham, as well as my own senators and congressman – see contacts page: https://freetonythetiger.wordpress.com/contacts/

Link to permit: http://tinyurl.com/ldwfpermit

Continue to be a voice for Tony by broadcasting his story, supporting efforts to give Tony the home, care and respect he deserves, and letting those individuals involved in making this decision know of our outrage and objection. We cannot give up on Tony.

• Tony the Tiger can stay

State officials give truck stop owner a permit

Tyler Gamble, Reporter
December 29, 2009 – 4:14pm

GROSSE TETE, La. (AP) – The Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete has received a permit from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to keep Tony the tiger.

Maria Davidson, the department’s large carnivore program manager, says the permit was needed after a 2006
legislative action gave regulatory authority over private ownership of potentially dangerous animals, such as primates, wolves, bears and big cats, to the agency.

Davidson said the legislation prohibited private ownership of the animals, but allowed people who already owned the animals before 2006 to be “grandfathered” as long as they went through a permit process to keep their current animals.

The permit has been controversial with animal rights and welfare activists and others who object to the tiger being kept at a truck stop joining the debate.

http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/tony-tiger-can-stay

• Tiger Truck Stop wins permit 

By Nathan Stubbs    
Tuesday, December 29, 2009 

After over a year-long struggle that raised the ire of national animal rights activists, Michael Sandlin, owner of the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tette, has officially been awarded a permit from the state to keep his 9 year-old, 550-pound Siberian-Bengal tiger, Tony. The Advocate reports that Sandlin has been granted a “Possession of Potentially Dangerous Wild Quadrapeds, Big Exotic Cats and Non-Human Primates” permit by the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Sandlin was grandfathered into a state law that prevents ownership of wild, exotic cats, making him the only permitted private tiger owner in the state. From The Advocate:

Sandlin said he was prepared to take the issue all the way through the court system in order to keep the tiger. But he said it’s not right that once the tiger is gone, he can’t get another one or get the tiger a companion.

The tiger is 9 years old and Sandlin said tigers can live more than 20 years in captivity. “Once Tony’s gone, it’s all over with,” Sandlin said. “After 22 years of exhibiting tigers and owning tigers, there’s certainly an emotional attachment.”

For more on the issue, read The Independent’s February cover story on Sandlin and the Tiger Truck Stop.

http://www.theind.com/content/view/5413/94/

• Tony the truck stop tiger there to stay

Posted: Dec 30, 2009 3:57 PM EST
Updated: Dec 30, 2009 3:57 PM EST

Link To Video: http://www.nbc-2.com/global/Category.asp?c=170893&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=4422744&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

“Tony” the tiger can officially call a truck stop home thanks to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Tony probably has no idea how much controversy his life at the “Tiger Truck Stop” has caused, and now his owner is hoping he never will.

“I think it’s a victory that Tony won’t be going anywhere, which is what I started off saying in the beginning,” says owner Michael Sandlin.

Wildlife and Fisheries gave Sandlin a permit to house the nine-year-old tiger.

Normally, state law bans the private ownership of potentially dangerous animals.

But officials decided to grandfather Tony in because Sandlin owned him before the law passed.

“I think the state would have found it very hard to take the tiger away from me.”

The decision puts an end to years of protesting from animal rights and welfare activists.

But the victory could be short lived. At 9 years old, Sandlin says Tony might only live another ten years. And the permit doesn’t cover any new tigers.

Sandlin plans on putting together a lawsuit to appeal the ordinance.

“Trying to get them to change this ridiculous, biased legislation that’s been passed.”

He says he’s passed every safety and welfare test with flying colors.

“He’s got a heater and an AC now. A little pool. There’s a lot more that we would like to do,” adds Sandlin.

And all he wants is to be able to keep a community tradition alive.

“We would like to see the death sentence lifted off this exhibit.”

http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=11748809

• Truck stop gets permit to keep tiger

Published: Dec. 29, 2009 at 4:30 PM

GROSSE TETE, La., Dec. 29 (UPI) — Louisiana wildlife officials said a truck stop was awarded a permit allowing it to keep the state’s only privately owned tiger.

Officials with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said Michael Sandlin, owner of the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, was the only one of three big cat owners in the state to apply for “grandfather” permits following the passing of a 2006 legislative action prohibiting private ownership of potentially dangerous animals, the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate reported Tuesday.

Davidson said Sandlin’s permit was tied up due to an Iberville Parish ordinance banning ownership of large cats but the parish passed an ordinance in March allowing the tiger to stay under certain conditions. The conditions imposed by the parish include staff training, liability insurance and providing a veterinarian-approved diet for the animal.

Sandlin, who received the permit this month, said he is glad to be able to keep Tony the tiger, but disappointed he will not be able to replace the 9-year-old animal after it dies.

“Once Tony’s gone, it’s all over with,” Sandlin said. “After 22 years of exhibiting tigers and owning tigers, there’s certainly an emotional attachment.”

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/12/29/Truck-stop-gets-permit-to-keep-tiger/UPI-52471262122232/

• Truck stop tiger stays put

Posted: Dec 30, 2009 7:38 AM EST
Updated: Dec 30, 2009 8:33 AM EST

Featured Videos
Tony the Tiger can stay at a Grosse Tete truck stop

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) – The owner of a 9-year-old Siberian tiger named Tony has received the final permit necessary to keep the animal on display at his truck stop off Interstate 10 in Grosse Tete. Michael Sandlin, owner of Tiger Truck Stop said he’s relieved the long process is finally over.

“It’s been a real struggle,” Sandlin said. “We’re very thankful to the community, to the state, to Wildlife and Fisheries for issuing the permit. Tony won’t be going anywhere.”

In 2006, the Louisiana Legislature outlawed private citizens from obtaining large cats, but since Tony was already in captivity, he was allowed to stay. After Iberville Parish gave its blessing, it was up to Wildlife and Fisheries for final approval. A spokesman for the agency said they only issued the permit after rigorous inspections, which included mandatory upgrades to the tiger’s exhibit.

“It was a very detailed process, our wildlife biologist consulted with big game vets, zoo exhibit professionals and big game keepers,” said Bo Boehringer with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. “From our standpoint, we feel like Mr. Sandlin has met the basic criteria to keep the tiger.”

Sandlin has installed higher fences and climate control, posted the proper signs and escape plans, obtained proper insurance and improved sanitary conditions at the truck stop. Tony already receives regular health checks and his diet is approved by a veterinarian.

However, some animal rights activists think the changes are still not enough. Members of the Facebook group, “Save Tony the Tiger from Michael Sandlin,” vow to keep fighting.

“Tony could live maybe another 10 years,” said James Platt, the group’s moderator. “It just wouldn’t be right to drop it and forget about it. I’m not sure if there’s any or very many legal avenues to pursue, but there has to be something that can be done.”

Sandlin said he welcomes the fight, insisting he’s already won the battle. Once Tony is gone, private citizens, including Sandlin, will not be allowed to own tigers. Until then, state, parish and federal officials will make random inspections of Tony’s exhibit.

Tigers in captivity can live up to 20 years.

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=11746526

Tony the tiger paces in his cage at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete in November 2008. Tiger Truck Stop owner Michael Sandlin received a permit from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on Dec. 14 which will allow him to keep the tiger.

• Grosse Tete truck stop gets permit to keep tiger

By AMY WOLD
Advocate staff writer
Published: Dec 29, 2009

The Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete has received a permit to keep Tony the tiger, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The permit was needed after a 2006 legislative action gave regulatory authority over private ownership of potentially dangerous animals, such as primates, wolves, bears and big cats, to the agency, said Maria Davidson, the department’s large carnivore program manager.

“These are not animals that need to be in the private sector,” Davidson said.

The legislation prohibited private ownership of the animals, but allowed people who already owned the animals before 2006 to be “grandfathered” as long as they went through a permit process to keep their current animals, Davidson said.

There were three people in the state who owned big cats and two of them decided to not keep the animals, Davidson said. The animals were taken to other facilities, she said.

The third person, Tiger Truck Stop owner Michael Sandlin, wanted to keep his Siberian-Bengal tiger and started work on getting the permit, Davidson said.

However, Iberville Parish officials told Wildlife and Fisheries officials during that process that there was a parish ordinance prohibiting large cat ownership, Davidson said.

Because one of the state agency’s requirements for a permit was that it had to meet local regulations, Sandlin’s permit could not be processed, she said.

Then in March, the Iberville Parish Council approved an ordinance that allowed Sandlin’s tiger to stay with conditions, such as carrying liability insurance, training staff on how to deal with any tiger escape and specifying that the tiger’s diet be approved by a licensed veterinarian.

That opened the path for Sandlin to move forward with getting a “Possession of Potentially Dangerous Wild Quadrupeds, Big Exotic Cats and Non-Human Primates” permit from the state on Dec. 14.

Sandlin said he was prepared to take the issue all the way through the court system in order to keep the tiger. But he said it’s not right that once the tiger is gone, he can’t get another one or get the tiger a companion.

The tiger is 9 years old and Sandlin said tigers can live more than 20 years in captivity.

“Once Tony’s gone, it’s all over with,” Sandlin said. “After 22 years of exhibiting tigers and owning tigers, there’s certainly an emotional attachment.”

According to an inspection letter from Wildlife and Fisheries in September, Sandlin was required to do a number of things before a permit would be granted.

Those steps included raising the perimeter fence from 7 feet to 8 feet, changing the insurance policy, updating an escape plan and installing a safety sign that says “Danger, Wild Animal on Premises.”

The permit has been controversial with animal rights and welfare activists and others who object to the tiger being kept at a truck stop joining the debate.

Davidson said her department received many e-mails from around the world asking the department not to grant the permit.

“I am very sorry to hear that the tiger will continue to live in that miserable situation,” Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue Sanctuary in Tampa, Fla., wrote in an e-mailed response to questions Monday.

However, the facility meets the department requirements, Davidson said.

Despite allegations of unsanitary conditions and of the tiger being unhealthy, Davidson said that doesn’t seem to be the case.

“I stopped by there periodically just to see,” Davidson said.

The tiger is being fed a standard zoo diet, is in decent health and has an enclosure with air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter, she said.

“I know if we felt those conditions were not humane or not up to standard, then we wouldn’t have issued a permit,” Davidson said.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/80246892.html?showAll=y&c=y

• Permitting Tony the truckstop tiger

December 30, 2009 | by: Todd Dills

After a year and more of challenges to the legality of Tony the truckstop tiger’s residence at the Gross Tete, La., Tiger Truck Stop by animal rights activists, the AP reports the owners have obtained necessary permits from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to keep the tiger. South Carolina-based hauler Kris Ewing took the opportunity of a Christmas run to Laredo to stop in and take a few pictures of Tony and the truckstop. (Photos taken on December 20th, 2009)

1. Tigress62 says:

   The individuals deciding Tony’s fate had the opportunity to give him a safe, clean home with proper medical care, food and enrichment, and still they chose to let him continue to suffer at the truck stop.

   Tony is exploited 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and breathes in the fumes and endures the noise of trucks and cars, as well as the taunting of ignorant people. Surely this is not a healthy environment for him. How can anyone condone such living conditions as these for any animal?

   Laws were broken and changed to cater to one individual, Michael Sandlin, whose greed, selfishness and cruelty were more important to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries than the welfare of Tony.

   People all over the world voiced their concern for Tony on social networking sites, by signing petitions and contacting the LDW&F and anyone else who they thought could help free Tony, but their pleas went unanswered and were ignored.

   Sandlin was offered a home for Tony at an accredited big cat sanctuary, but refused. If he truly cared about Tony he would have released him to such a sanctuary, but his only concern is to exploit Tony as a money-making gimmick.

   To allow such a blatant display of animal cruelty to continue is very sad and disturbing and makes one wonder what more was involved in this decision. All those involved in this horrendous verdict, as well as those who did nothing to help Tony, should be ashamed – to allow this magnificent cat to continue to suffer is in itself a cruel and inhumane act.

http://www.overdriveonline.com/permitting-tony-the-truckstop-tiger/

photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12056083@N06/sets/72157622913383219/