Three years ago, on October 16, 2017, we lost our beloved Tony the Tiger. Not a day goes by where Tony is not on my mind; he has left his massive paw prints on my heart and on the hearts of his friends around the world. For 17 years Tony was confined to a “life” as a roadside attraction at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete. Louisiana, and because of Tony and his tragic story, people learned about the serious issue of privately owned tigers and big cats in the United States.
For many years Tony had tremendous support for his release to a reputable big cat sanctuary. The legal battle for Tony’s release was led by our very good friends The Animal Legal Defense Fundwho fought tirelessly for Tony. Sadly every court win in Tony’s favor for his release was met by his owner’s appeals and the case dragged on for years. I would like to once again thank The Animal Legal Defense Fund who never gave up on Tony, and who continue to advocate for captive tigers and wild animals. Learn more about ALDF’s work for captive wild animals at : https://aldf.org/focus-area/captive-animals/
One of the best ways we can honor Tony is to support The Big Cat Public Safety Act. This federal bill addresses two of the biggest sources of abuse of big cats by ending owning big cats as pets and stopping exploitative roadside zoos from offering cub petting and photo ops. Read more about this bill and ask your Congress Members for their support at : https://aldf.org/article/add-your-voice-support-the-big-cat-public-safety-act/
In Tony’s memory, all of his social media accounts remain open to network information on ways we can help animals. We hope you will continue to support them.
To ALL of Tony’s amazing friends : THANK YOU! Because of you and your support Tony will never ever be forgotten.
” T ” : I miss you handsome tiger. You are in my thoughts every day and in my heart always.
For ” T ” Always ~ #FreeTonyTiger #TonyAlways 🌈 🐯 🌈
New Orleans, LA – After multiple lawsuits filed and fought by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Tiger Truck Stop has finally stopped exhibiting animals and tore down its cages. The animals who had recently lived at the gas station have been removed, and the chain-link cages have been demolished.
The Tiger Truck Stop, the infamous gas station in Gross Tete, Louisiana, held Tony — an endangered Siberian-Bengal tiger — from the age of 6-months until his death at the age of 17 in 2017. The center of significant controversy, the truck stop’s owner, Michael Sandlin, used his political clout to circumvent one law after another — including the Louisiana big cat ban which passed unanimously in 2006. A lawsuit filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund stripped the Tiger Truck Stop of its improper permit from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries — a decision that was affirmed on appeal.
In his zeal to continue to exhibit tigers at the gas station, Sandlin sued Louisiana over the constitutionality of the state’s big cat ban. The lawsuit, which the Animal Legal Defense Fund successfully intervened in to assist in protecting the ban, remains pending for now.
“The Animal Legal Defense Fund is pleased that no additional animals will be exploited at the Tiger Truck Stop,” says Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Stephen Wells. “Though we were not able to rescue Tony in time, we have continued to fight in his memory for other captive animals who suffer at roadside zoos across the country.”
After Tony died, Sandlin acquired other animals, including a camel, a red kangaroo, and coatis — which have been relocated.
In 2019, the Animal Legal Defense Fund won a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its policy of “rubberstamping” exhibitor license renewals of roadside zoos, even when they violated the Animal Welfare Act. In 2020, the USDA released new rules stating that facilities would need to prove they are in compliance with federal, state, and local laws for renewal — another tool that will help prevent similar situations in the future and part of the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s continuing strategy to shut down roadside zoos.
A federal bill, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, has been introduced with wide support in the U.S. House of Representatives, and would eliminate private big cat ownership nationwide. The Animal Legal Defense Fund, along with a coalition of animal protection groups, supports the bill’s passage.
Did anyone watch ALDF’s webinar “Tiger King : Questions Answered”? I did and thought it was very informative and covered the issues of captive tigers with great depth ~Thank you Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Alicia Prygoski. I have not watched Tiger King, I think it would just be too upsetting because I will always associate Joe Ex with Michael Sandlin; when we were fighting for Tony’s release to a reputable big cat sanctuary, Sandlin said he was contemplating sending Tony to Joe’s hell hole. This webinar really focused on captive tigers and big cats, laws in place to protect them and pending bills (i.e. Big Cat Public Safety Act) to end private ownership and breeding. It addressed how cubs are bred for profit and exploitation. The possession, breeding and exploiting of tigers and big cats is such a horrid, cruel “industry.” Tony’s case was included in the webinar and some of my photos of Tony were in the presentation; I was honored, and honestly it brought tears to my eyes to see him. I know we all loved Tony and we tried to do whatever we could to help him and support ALDF’s dedicated efforts to free him to an accredited sanctuary. If you missed the webinar, a link to the recording is coming soon! You can check at: https://aldf.org/article/webinars/tiger-king-questions-answered/and it will also be posted on Free Tony The Tiger. Photo accompanying this post is courtesy of Animal Legal Defense Fund, of course that is our Tony on the right. #FreeTonyTiger #TonyAlways 🐯
🐯 Sharing this post from our very good friends Animal Legal Defense Fund. Join Alicia Prygoski, Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Legislative Affairs Manager, on Tuesday March 31, 2020 (12pm PST | 3pmEST) to discuss big cat captivity laws and answer your questions about the docuseries “Tiger King” See this link to sign up and register: https://aldf.org/article/webinars/tiger-king-questions-answered/
Two years ago, on October 16, 2017, we lost a tiger who touched the hearts of people all over the world. While Tony’s story is tragic, confined for all of his life as a roadside attraction at a truck stop in Louisiana, he brought tremendous attention to the serious issue of captive tigers and big cats in the United States.
Unfortunately ALDF victories in court that ruled the permit to keep Tony illegal were met by his owner’s appeals and Tony’s case dragged on for years.
I will never forget the times I visited Tony; I was overwhelmed to be in his presence, but saddened and disturbed that here was this magnificent tiger imprisoned at a truck stop…each time I told him to stay strong and that we’d never give up on him.
I feel that one of the best ways we can honor Tony is to continue to be a voice for captive wild animals.
To learn more about ALDF’s work to help captive wild animals:
Support The Big Cat Public Safety Act : This federal bill addresses two of the biggest sources of abuse of big cats by ending owning big cats as pets and stopping exploitative roadside zoos from offering cub petting and photo ops. Read more about this bill and ask your Congress Members for their support at : https://bigcatrescue.org/big-cat-act/
In Tony’s memory, all of his social media accounts remain open to network information on ways we can help animals. We hope you will continue to support them.
Thanks to all of Tony’s amazing friends for your dedication throughout the years. You are all truly appreciated.
” T ” : you are in my thoughts every day and in my heart always.
In honor and memory of Tony, United States residents are asked to support The Big Cat Public Safety Act. You can read more about this bill and ask your Congress members to support it at: https://bigcatrescue.org/big-cat-act/
We miss and love Tony and think of him every day, and we are forever grateful for the wonderful support and love from Tony’s friends throughout the years.
Tony the tiger was forced to spend his life in a chain-link cage at a Louisiana gas station, until he was recently euthanized because of his failing health. He was 17 years old and had spent nearly his entire life imprisoned at the truck stop. It’s too late for Tony, but it’s not too late to help other big cats who are languishing in private homes across the U.S.
In nature, big cats often have home ranges of hundreds of miles, where they have the opportunity to roam, swim, climb, hunt, choose their mates, and raise their young. But in private homes, they suffer in cramped cages and barren enclosures, where they’re denied everything that’s natural and important to them. Wild animals belong in the wild, and when these dangerous apex predators are confined to private homes, the consequences can be fatal, and there have been hundreds of dangerous incidents in the U.S. since 1990.
To help end the private breeding and possession of tigers and other big cats, please use the form at: https://support.peta.org/page/3654/action/1 to let your members of Congress know that you support the Big Cat Public Safety Act (H.R. 1818), which would bring an end to private ownership of dangerous wild cats, safeguarding both wild animals and communities across the U.S. You can check to see if your representatives are already cosponsors of this bill by clicking here. Please feel free to customize the letter, thanking them if they’re already cosponsors or asking them to sponsor it if they aren’t.
Tony, the tiger who was forced to spend his life in a chain-link cage at a Louisiana gas station, has been euthanized because of his failing health. The Tiger Truck Stop’s “publicist,” Ted Baldwin, told news outlets that Tony’s health was declining and that he was in kidney failure. He was 17 years old and had spent nearly his entire life imprisoned at the truck stop.
PETA, our friends at the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), and countless other animal advocates had been working to get him moved to a sanctuary for years. PETA lodged stacks of complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, repeatedly offered to cover all costs of sending Tony to a reputable sanctuary, and stood behind the ALDF’s lawsuits in the tiger’s behalf. Even though Louisiana lawmakers passed a law restricting the ownership of exotic big cats, they included an amendment allowing Tony to be exempted.
You can see the conditions he was forced to live in in this video made by our friends at the Big Cat Rescue sanctuary in Tampa:
(Note: video from 2010)
The gas station’s owner, Michael Sandlin, said that he plans to have Tony “stuffed, mounted and displayed.” He said that he also plans to purchase another tiger, though he wouldn’t legally be allowed to do so. He insists that he’ll file an “emergency writ” demanding another tiger, apparently believing that the gas station’s name necessitates the unlawful and abusive confinement of animals.
Sandlin is seemingly unfamiliar with Caterpillar equipment, the country Turkey, Greyhound buses, Fox Sports, Grey Goose Vodka, the Polar Bear Plunge, and most professional sports teams, none of which use live animals for promotional purposes.
The state would have to pass a new law in order for Sandlin to get another tiger, which is unlikely to happen. And PETA will fight vigorously to ensure that he’ll never get his hands on another tiger to imprison and torment in order to sell gasoline.
Tony’s abuse shows the extent of some humans’ sense of entitlement to other animals—who are as capable of suffering as we are—as well as the inadequacy of our institutions to protect them. You can help protect tigers and other big cats from exploitation by people such as Sandlin by urging your representatives to support the Big Cat Public Safety Act, which would end private ownership of exotic cats, safeguarding communities from potential escapes and attacks and protecting wild animals from neglect and cruelty.
As the month of July begins, we mark another year of captivity at Tiger Truck Stop for Tony. It is reported Tony was born in July of 2000 and acquired as a cub that year from a Texas breeder.
Back in 2009, we learned about Tony from Big Cat Rescue in Tampa Florida, and wanted to do whatever we could to help him, gain support for his release to a reputable sanctuary and raise awareness for captive tigers in the United States. By bringing his story to social media, people from all over the world learned about Tony and the captive tiger situation in the U.S. With more privately owned tigers in the United States (est. 5,000 plus) than left in the wild (appx. 3,200) support for legislation banning private ownership is very important. The Big Cat Public Safety Act is a federal law that would end the private possession of big cats as pets, props and for their parts. Please help with the passage of this law by contacting your member of congress and asking them to support the bill. Visit: stopbigcatabuse.com where you will be able to contact your representative by phone, e-mail or Twitter.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) began their legal proceedings on Tony’s behalf in 2011. Repeated court victories found the permit issued by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries illegal – each victory was met with an appeal by Michael Sandlin, owner of Tiger Truck Stop. When Mr. Sandlin exhausted his appeals he enlisted Sen. Rick Ward to propose a bill (SB 250) to exempt himself from the 2006 law barring private ownership of big cats. The bill was passed by the Louisiana Legislature and signed by Gov. Bobby Jindal (Act 697.)
ALDF has vowed to continue fighting for Tony’s release to a reputable big cat sanctuary – and to also keep fighting for Tony to honor the memory of Candy, a chimpanzee held captive for decades at Dixie Landin’ amusement park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in lonely, cramped cage without any interaction with other chimps.
Please see ALDF’s timeline of Tony’s case for updates on their current legal actions:
Our final THANK YOU is to ALL of Tony’s friends for their positive support and dedication to this beautiful tiger and to Tony’s release to a safe, clean home that will provide him with the care and respect all animals deserve.
Please continue to support Tony, the “Free Tony The Tiger Campaign”, his legal representativesALDF, and the wonderful sanctuaries mentioned in this post.
If you visit Tony and take pictures and/or video please share them with us. Tag us on Instagram, Twitter or e-mail: FreeTonyTheTiger17@gmail.com
Three years ago, on October 16, 2017, we lost our beloved Tony the Tiger. Not a day goes by where Tony is not on my mind; he has left his massive paw prints on my heart and on the hearts of his friends around the world. For 17 years Tony was confined to a “life” as a roadside attraction at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete. Louisiana, and because of Tony and his tragic story, people learned about the serious issue of privately owned tigers and big cats in the United States.
Free Tony The Tiger 