911 Animal Abuse

12 Search Results for "ligers"

• Ligers and Tigons-learn the tr Ligers and Tigons-learn the truth

  • From: 11233455987
  • Description:

    Ligers and Tigons

     

    A liger is the result of breeding a male lion to a tigress.Since lions and tigers do NOT exist in the same areas,

    this is NOT something that happens in the wild.It is ALWAYS done in captivity by irresponsible breeders

    to produce a freak animal that people will pay to see.These cats suffer from many, many birth defects and almost always die young.Because liger cubs are much bigger than tiger cubs, it puts the mother tigress at great risk in carrying the young and she may require C-section deliveries.  The tigress usually dies giving birth to a liger.Lion-tiger mating ONLY occurs in captivity, but it does NOT happen in the wild, probably for the same reason humans do not breedwith gorillas or chimps. Crossing the species line does NOT occur in the wild, because it would result in diminished fitness of the offspring. Geography is another obstacle to natural tiger-lion mating.Wild tigers mainly live in Asia, but the lion's natural habitat is almost entirely in Africa.

    The Gir National Forest in India is the only place in the world where tiger and lion territories overlap, making people think that wild ligers roamed the area hundreds of years ago. This would be highly improbable, because the Gir forest is really very dry and not good tiger habitat. A tigon is the product of a male tiger and female lion and is not the same thing as a liger. Tigons receive growth inhibitor genes from both parents and so are smaller than either of them. They show much the same coloration of ligers except they sometimes have more prominent stripes. As with ligers, female tigons may be fertile whereas the males are sterile. Tigons have the same voices as liger, a sort of cross between tiger and lion. Tigons are now rarer than ligers, but in the late 1800's and early 1800s tigons were much more common.When the public stops paying to see these unfortunate creatures, the evil people (like "Doc" Antle) responsible for creating them will stop this inhumane practice. Please ask me for non- photoshopped liger photos and I will figure out a way to get them to you without giving away my email or other info.

     

     

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 7 months ago
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• Liger in Green Cage 1 Liger in Green Cage 1

  • From: 11233455987
  • Description:
    A real, not photoshopped liger.
  • 7 months ago
  • Views: 202
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• Don't Forward These Pictures Don't Forward These Pictures

  • From: PatCuvie
  • Description:
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    At some point - from someone - you will probably receive the email at the bottom of this message.  Or, you may receive a clip of TV reporters swimming with tigers, or a chimp "raising" white tiger cubs, or even adorable photos of cross-species friends like an orangutan befriending a dog.  These all come from the same organization – T.I.G.E.R.S. – and it's a marketing ploy they use to bring money and business from unsuspecting customers. 

     

    Please don't become an accomplice to animal abuse of the worst magnitude.

    Whenever you receive an email concerning the organization

    T.I.G.E.R.S. (Institute of Greatly Endangered Rare Species), based in Myrtle Beach and Florida,

    DO NOT FORWARD IT

    This can be one small way you can help save 100's of abused big cats.

     

    Doc Antle, a/k/a Dr Bhagavan Antle, the proprietor of T.I.G.E.R.S., supposedly received his "credentials" in China.  He has said that he needs a supply of 200 tiger cubs per year just to fulfill all of his global photo ops and animal encounters at fairs, malls, and other exhibits. 

     

    Please ask yourself, where do all these cubs end up once they are fully grown?

     

    Doc Antle is a major supplier/consumer in the exotic animal trade.  If you abhor puppy mills, you can only imagine the major abuse that takes place in the loosely regulated business of big cat exhibition. His breeding of an unnatural species, a liger (the mating of a lion and tiger), as a profit center is the ultimate statement of abuse, though.  A liger is a manmade species that suffers tragically.  To learn more about ligers, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKYILLEdy5s  The last line in the email says it all when they refer to Hercules, the liger, as "this thing."

     

    YOU CAN STOP THIS ABUSE

     

    Refuse to forward these emails.

    Instead, save and pass this email along to educate those who have no idea

    the suffering behind what appears to be

    "adorable" animal pictures.

     

    Thank you for refusing to be a party to this sham.

     

  • Blog post
  • 11 months ago
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• Cat Tales and Silver Springs Cat Tales and Silver Springs

  • From: Guatemala
  • Description:

    I recently visited the Nature Park, "Silver Springs". They now have a Florida panther exhibit. I was disturbed at the living conditions. Although it is not horrible living conditions it is  certainly not a happy condition for the cats to live in.  I think it is very sad when an animal is inside an area so small they can't run. There petting zoo was equally disturbing.

     

    Also, in the state of Washington there is a Big Cat zoo called, "Cat Tales". There were HUGE ligers, lions, tigers and leopards in extremely small cages!!!

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 52

• Swim With Tigers and Ligers Swim With Tigers and Ligers

  • From: TheirVoice
  • Description:

    Swim With Tigers and Ligers.  It is against all the rules, but offered by T.I.G.E.R.S.

  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 499

• Silver Springs, FL & Cat Tales Silver Springs, FL & Cat Tales, WA

  • From: TheirVoice
  • Description:

    Silver Springs

     

    Good Evening,

     

    I recently visited the Nature Park, "Silver Springs". They now have a Florida panther exhibit. I was disturbed at the living conditions. Although it is not horrible living conditions it is  certainly not a happy condition for the cats to live in.  I think it is very sad when an animal is inside an area so small they can't run. There petting zoo was equally disturbing.

     

    Also, in the state of Washington there is a Big Cat zoo called, "Cat Tales". There were HUGE ligers, lions, tigers and leopards in extremely small cages!!!

    Who would I need to contact to have these situations investigated? 

     

    Thank you for what you do!!
     

    Sarah E. Crain

     

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 152

• Liger Kills Keeper on Today Sh Liger Kills Keeper on Today Show

  • From: TheirVoice
  • Description:
    Liger Kills Keeper on Today Show
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 624

• Exotic Pet Owners Convention Exotic Pet Owners Convention

  • From: TheirVoice
  • Description:

    Formerly known as the Long Island Ocelot Club, little has changed in this group since the 60's as they still promote the breeding and keeping of exotic cats as pets and are working hard to stop laws that would protect the cats. The following is excerpted from the Phoenix Exotics Group where they cross posted their upcoming event:

    Feline Conservation Federation's 36th annual convention takes place on
    July 23-26, 2008 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Our accommodations will
    be private villas at the fabulous Hilton Kingston Plantation, located
    right on the beach.
    http://www.kingstonplantation.com/accommodations /villas/richmond-westhyde.c
    fm
    
    The full convention starts on Thursday evening with the icebreaker
    appetizer and cocktail hour, followed by the membership meeting. Arrive
    early and visit with members and their kittens.
    
    Friday, July 25 be enthralled with a special tour to T.I.G.E.R.S. (The
    Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species), the home facility of
    Bhagavan (Doc) Antle, known for breeding Ligers and White Tigers for photo booths.
    
    Saturday night brings the gala FCF banquet, awards ceremony, and live
    auction.
    
    Convention registration fee is $200 per person until June 28. Call
    Hilton's Myrtle Beach Kingston Plantation at 1-800-876-0010 to reserve a
    villa. The special FCF Convention Villa rate is $225 for 2 bedrooms. The
    cut off for villa registration is June 28, 2008. Contact Carolyne
    Clendinden, membership services at
    membershipservices@... to see about possible villa
    sharing. For more information on the convention and hotel, contact Kevin
    Chambers, FCF Convention Chairman, at treasurer@...
    
    Sign up here:
    http://www.felineconservation.org/organization/u pcoming_events.htm
    
    Bonus:
    On the Wednesday before the opening of convention, FCF will hold its
    famous Wild Feline Husbandry Course. This course is held throughout the
    year nationwide but here's your chance to attend the course and
    convention at the same time. $95 for non-members.
    http://www.felineconservation.org/husbandry_cour ses/july_23_2008_husbandry_
    course.htm

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 162
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• Worst Vacation Spots in Florid Worst Vacation Spots in Florida

  • From: PatCuvie
  • Description:

    The Worst of Florida
    Vacation spots you definitely want to miss

    ARFF has released its list of "Worst of Florida" tourist attractions. These roadside zoos, substandard aquariums, pseudo-sanctuaries and other menageries have been the subject of numerous complaints that we have received in recent years.

    At these facilities, animals are confined to barren cages or tanks that are so small they provide almost no opportunity for natural movement or exercise. With nothing to do to pass the time, many animals become psychologically disturbed and develop abnormal behaviors such as endless pacing or rocking, and extreme lethargy. Other features of the disreputable zoos and aquariums on ARFF's list include social animals kept in isolation, animals forced to perform circus tricks for the amusement of guests, and irresponsible breeding.

    Below are reviews of four attractions in south Florida that made ARFF's "Worst of" list. Please visit ARFF's website-- www.animalrightsflorida.org/worst -- for the complete list.

    If you have the misfortune of visiting a roadside zoo or aquarium where animals are suffering from neglect and/or an inadequate environment, please let us know!

    Native Village (Hollywood)
    The sign on the "Florida panther" cage at Native Village says that panthers can run 35mph and leap more than 20 feet. Sadly, the panther inside the concrete and chain link cage is only able to walk back and forth a few short steps.

    Over the years, the number of animals at Native Village have dwindled (a tiger and a bear were transferred elsewhere), but if you enjoy seeing coatamundi, panthers, bobcat and a few other animals confined alone in barren cages, this is the place for you. Not surprisingly, for an extra charge alligator wrestling is also available.

    Seminole Okalee Village (Hollywood)
    Advertisements for this depressing zoo, located next to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, promise a "journey into an authentic Seminole village." You may find examples of traditional arts & crafts in the gift shop, but you'll be wishing you had stayed at the slot machines once you see this collection of raccoons, opposums, bears and a panther in small, wire cages.

    The Village also features alligator wrestling during which a man roughly forces open the mouth of a small alligator, among other abusive tricks. Seminole Okalee Village used to have lions and a tiger on display. We can only imagine what happened to them.

    In May 2008, ARFF filmed a bear and raccoon exhibiting abnormal, stereotypic behaviors at Seminole Okalee Village. Click here to view the video.

    Monkey Jungle (Miami)
    "Where humans are caged and monkeys run wild." That has been Monkey Jungle's slogan since its doors first opened in the 1930s. Although it is true that a group of small monkeys are allowed to roam in an enclosed area above the walkways, the other monkeys at Monkey Jungle today are confined in small, dull cages.

    But what makes Monkey Jungle stand out is King, a 38-year-old western lowland gorilla. Of the approximately 350 gorillas in zoos in the United States, King is the only one who lives alone and who has no prospect of ever having a companion. King has lived a solitary existence since a female gorilla at Monkey Jungle, Mitzie, died in 1989.

    In 1997, a campaign was launched to persuade Monkey Jungle to send King to Zoo Atlanta, where he could be with other gorillas and live out the remainder of his life with companionship and dignity. But despite Zoo Atlanta's invitation and pleas from noted primatologist Jane Goodall and thousands of Florida residents, Monkey Jungle refused.

    Instead, after languishing for 20 years in a concrete-and-bars cage, in 2001 Monkey Jungle built a naturalistic enclosure where King is able to feel the sun and breath fresh air. Although the larger enclosure was an improvement, Monkey Jungle continues to ignore the issue that King is alone. Gorillas and other apes are intelligent animals with complex social and emotional lives. King needs companions.

    During King's daily show at Monkey Jungle, he is fed treats to perform degrading tricks such as the Hokey-Pokey for the amusement of tourists.

    Tragically, King is not the only solitary ape at Monkey Jungle. Mei, a 22-year-old orangutan also lives alone in a concrete enclosure.

    Jungle Island (Miami)
    Jungle Island is one of Miami's oldest attractions. It opened in 1936 as Parrot Jungle and not much has changed since. It's animal shows have remained little more than circus-acts, but in a desperate attempt to turn around disappointing ticket sales, the focus has switched from parrots to more "exotic" animals like tigers and orangutans. Jungle Island teaches irresponsible and harmful lessons about conservation and how people should interact with wild animals.

    For example, Jungle Island allows visitors to hold tigers, orangutans, chimpanzees and other animals for photographs. On it's website Jungle Island promises, "there is always an assortment of cuddly [tiger] cubs who are sure to bring a smile to your face. " Of course, these animals can only be used for this purpose as babies, therefore creating a never-ending cycle of breeding and disposal of adult animals.

    The big cat show at Jungle Island features white tigers and ligers (offspring of a male lion and a female tiger). These sad animals are not found in the wild; they are bred merely to retain their genetic abnormalities. This unnecessary breeding has led to serious birth defects and they often suffer lifelong health problems, if they survive to adulthood. Jungle Island is also notorious for renting out its orangutans and other animals to film television shows and commercials.

    http://www.animalrightsflorida.org/worst

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 744

• Horseshoe Creek Closes to The Horseshoe Creek Closes to The Public

  • From: TheirVoice
  • Description:

    Horseshoe Creek Closes to The Public
    
    Founder Darryl Atkinson loses license to keep big cats, other animals.
    
    By MAYA CARPENTER
    NEWS CHIEF
    DAVENPORT |
    
    Darryl Atkinson did not have a choice. Horseshoe Creek Wildlife Sanctuary has closed to the public.
    
    Atkinson, founder and director of the sanctuary, is losing his license because he did not meet federal requirements for keeping large animals, such as tigers and bears.
    
    The papers were signed last week and Horseshoe Creek closed to the public Sunday.
    
    His state license is good until September, but without an exhibitor's license, he can't keep the facility open.
    
    "The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been trying to close us down for nine years and they finally succeeded," Atkinson said.
    
    Atkinson has been waging an uphill battle to keep open the refuge for unwanted predatory animals, as well as other animals.
    
    It costs between $6,000 and $8,000 per month to run the facility, and Atkinson hasn't made that much money in the past six months.
    
    "We brought in about $2,000 in the last two months," he said.
    
    The refuge has 60 animals that will need a place to live - that has been the hardest task, Atkinson said.
    
    "The alternative is for them to be euthanized," he said.
    
    That's the last thing he wants to happen.
    
    Atkinson has found a couple of places for some of the animals.
    
    One of the 20 tigers has been sent to Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, he said.
    
    He has four black bears and five lions that are older, which makes them difficult to place.
    
    He also said he doesn't have any money to transport the animals to other facilities.
    
    Friends of Atkinson said they don't understand the action to close the facility.
    
    "I don't understand how it is for the betterment of animals (to close the sanctuary)," said Michele Clark, a Winter Haven resident and former sanctuary volunteer.
    
    Atkinson agrees, saying he knows that there are probably more facilities that look better than his, but he cares about the animals just as much as any other animal facility, he said.
    
    "He's put the animals before his own comfort and pleasures," said Velma Daniels, a Winter Haven resident.
    
    Atkinson bought the five acres between 1978 and 1982 for the sanctuary while working with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus as an assistant elephant trainer.
    
    He purchased his first leopard in 1983, which he trained for use in movies and stage shows. Then in 1984, a tiger was brought in for refuge.
    
    He's been sheltering homeless animals ever since.
    
    Horseshoe Creek Wildlife Foundation is a nonprofit organization that started 1984 and was incorporated in 1994.
    
    At its height, Horseshoe Creek Wildlife Sanctuary - named for the creek that passes along the property's boundaries - was home to more than 80 animals, including 40 big cats: lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, bobcats, Florida panthers and ligers, which are a combination of a tiger and a lion. Atkinson also gave a home to bears, wolves, monkeys, deer, lemurs, a variety of reptiles and mammals.
    
    But since 1999, Atkinson has been in a tug-of-war with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission over the conditions his animals live in.
    
    In 2003, Atkinson had more than 20 violation with keeping his tigers in cages that are too small. In 2006, he was charged for failure to meet minimum wildlife cage requirements. In February, Conservation Commission investigators found two cage violations. In one, a tiger was found in a 13-foot-by-13-foot cage, constructed of 11-gauge wire with no safety entrance. State requirements call for a 10-foot-by-24-square-foot cage, which is 41 square feet larger, and built of heavier 9-gauge wire with a safety entrance.
    
    In May 2007, he pleaded no contest to 12 counts of maintaining wildlife in unsafe conditions. He was ordered to pay a $267 fine and agreed not to take in any more animals until he could show he had the money needed to maintain the sanctuary.
    
    Atkinson has given up his life for the facility and said he is disappointed that he has to see it go away. "I spent the last 30 years caring for animals," he said. "I have gone without food so they can eat."
    
    
    
    Maya Carpenter is a News Chief staff writer. She can be reached atmaya.carpenter@newschief.com or 863-401-6977. Material from Ledger staff writers Donna Kelly and Shoshana Walters was used in this report.
    
    ***
    http://www.theledger.com/article/20080326/NEWS/8 03260447/1134
    
    More about Darryl Atkinson here:
    
    http://www.911animalabuse.com/00abusers/Horsesho e%20Creek%20Darryl%20Atkinson.htm
    
    He claims to have bred more than 60 leopards and always has plenty of baby lions and tigers on hand for his photo booths.

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 143

• Karl Mitchel of All Acting Ani Karl Mitchel of All Acting Animals

  • From: TheirVoice
  • Description:

    Karl Mitchel of All Acting Animals

    Check for yourself to see if they meet the sanctuary standards for an accredited animal refuge. See an interactive online map of exotic cat owners . See people being stupid with big cats, endangering themselves and others HERE . See the awful conditions that many captive cats endure HERE .

    Karl Mitchell / All Acting Animals big cats go to San Antonio

    By Angie Wagner

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    1:37 p.m. March 2, 2005

    PAHRUMP, Nev. - Down a quiet gravel road lined by homes, six tigers and two leopards live amid the roosters and cats in a small back yard. They are hungry and dirty, and their owner can no longer care for them.

    Carol Asvestas is tired of seeing the same scene played out across the country. Big cats are taken in as pets or kept in so-called sanctuaries, but then are neglected by owners who become overwhelmed.

    Many big cats, like the ones here, will end up with Asvestas at her San Antonio , Texas , Wild Animal Orphanage.

    Animal protection groups want private ownership of big cats outlawed. They say that with an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 large cats kept as pets in the United States , the problem is out of control.

    Just last week, authorities shot and killed a 425-pound tiger that had been roaming the hills near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Los Angeles . Where it came from and who owned it is unknown.

    State laws vary on owning exotic animals such as tigers, wolves and alligators. Just 14 ban private ownership altogether; eight have a partial ban on some species, 13 states regulate exotic animals and 15 states, including Nevada, have no regulations of many exotic animals, according to the Animal Protection Institute.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires licenses for exhibitors, dealers and researchers, but not private owners keeping a big cat as a pet.

    "It's a huge public safety risk that is 100 percent preventable," said Dr. Kim Haddad, a veterinarian and manager of the Captive Wild Animal Protection Coalition, made up of more than 20 animal protection groups, sanctuaries and zoos.

    "The solution is so easy. You just cannot have these animals as pets."

    Sure, tiger cubs are cute and cuddly. But when they reach 600 pounds and eat 20 pounds of meat a day, owners often find themselves in over their heads. And it's often Asvestas who comes in to help.

    Such was the case in Pahrump, a dusty desert town near the California border, where a woman decided she couldn't care for her back yard tigers and leopards anymore. One pet leopard was quarantined after it bit off the tip of the woman's finger last week.

    Asvestas and the International Fund for Animal Welfare organized a rescue mission Tuesday, at the owner's request. She and helpers tranquilized, then loaded the skinny and mangy cats one by one into a trailer for the trip to Texas . There, they will be among 700 animals, 200 of them big cats. In the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson on Wednesday, the group collected two tigers, three lions and four wolves from another private owner.

    Animal groups cite numerous incidents of big cats getting loose or harming someone.

    - A 600-pound tiger belonging to a former Tarzan actor escaped in Florida and sent authorities on a 26-hour hunt before the tiger was shot and killed last July. The state does not monitor the keeping of exotic animals as pets.

    - A 10-year-old boy at a relative's house in North Carolina was killed by a tiger that pulled him inside its cage in December 2003. The next month, a tiger mauled a 14-year-old girl taking pictures in a tiger's cage at her father's farm. There is no state law about owning exotic animals.

    - In April 2003, authorities found 58 dead tiger cubs stuffed into freezers, 30 dead adult tigers, and two alligators in a bathtub at a California home. California has one of the strictest exotic pet laws in the nation, but critics say enforcement is a problem.

    - Pet owner Antoine Yates was bitten on the leg in 2003 by the pet tiger he kept in his New York apartment, a building where children also lived. New York now bans possession of many wild animals, though it doesn't apply to current owners.

    The popularity of owning big cats prompted Congress to pass a law in 2003 that makes it illegal to sell or ship lions, tigers and other big cats across state lines without permits. But animal welfare groups want an outright ban, saying the 5,000 to 7,000 privately owned tigers probably exceed the total number in the wild.

    "It is an odd phenomenon where people are setting up, essentially, personal zoos," said Chris Cutter, spokesman for the IFAW. "For some people, it's a status thing."

    The call for an end to private ownership is not unanimous. Patti Strand, president of the National Animal Interest Alliance, said her organization supports regulation of exotic pet owners, but said people who can handle the animals should be able to have them.

    "There is a growing body of animal groups that do nothing but exploit rather than try to solve problems because there are fund-raising dollars to be made by the sensationalism that goes along with that,' she said.

    The tigers in Pahrump, kept in cages behind a tan-colored trailer home, were part of a defunct animal sanctuary, said Steven A. Benson, who identified himself as a board member.

    "There's just too many cats to take care of," Benson said. "It's overwhelming."

    Animal groups say many big cat owners set up as a nonprofit sanctuary as a front to get money and really aren't capable of caring for the animals.

    "You have a lot of facilities out there who call themselves sanctuaries or rescue facilities," Haddad said. "For the most part, a lot of these people, these animals are their pets and they keep collecting them."

    Big cats kept and bred in captivity can never be released in the wild because their fear of man is gone, and often their genetics are upset through inbreeding. As long as animals are kept in back yards, Asvestas will likely keep getting calls.

    "I get tired," she said. "I can't take them all. We just turned down five animals last week."

    EDITOR'S NOTE - Angie Wagner is the AP's Western regional writer, based in Las Vegas .

    Big Cat Rescue Note:

    Shaquille, the black leopard and Dara, the cougar were rescued from Karl Mitchell many years ago. They had been beaten unmercifully and Dara (who is gone now) had a brain infection from the severity of her blows to the skull. For years when we would tell people about Shaq's story people would ask, "Why can't someone shut him down!" It wasn't until the owner was sent to jail for stealing a car that anything could be done to save the animals.

    March 4, 2005

    Exotic animals in town rescued

    MITCHELL'S TIGERS, LEOPARDS HEADED TO SAN ANTONIO REFUGE

    By DOUG McMURDO PVT

    HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT

    Norma Lagutchik of Animal Sanctuary of the United States helps Chuck Tay and Trey Alecio (not pictured) carry a sedated tiger to a trailer designed to transport the big cats from the far western Pahrump compound of Karl Mitchell, now imprisoned on theft charges.

    Karl Mitchell, the former Pahrump and Amargosa Valley animal control contractor, might still be in the pen but the tigers and leopards he kept for years at a compound in extreme western Pahrump were freed Tuesday, in a sense, when members of the Animal Sanctuary of the United States arrived to haul off six tigers and two leopards to the Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio.

    According to Josephine Martell, Sandy Allman contacted the group last week and asked for assistance. Martell said the exotic cats were living in deplorable conditions.

    Martell, a captive wild animal specialist with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said Allman, who last week had the tip of her index finger bit off by a leopard, had tried in vain to care for the tigers, but "she was barely hanging on. The animals hadn't seen a vet in more than a year. They were covered in feces and had urine burns ... the conditions were just really filthy."

    One of Allman's neighbors called the newspaper Tuesday to say he was happy the cats were being taken away, but fretted over the large number of dogs still on the property. "They are all in bad shape," said the man, who spoke on condition his name not be used. "They've been hauling stuff to the dump for days now, but that place is in bad shape. What are they going to do about the dogs?" Allman is Mitchell's former partner.

    Mitchell is one of Nye County 's more controversial characters. He is now in prison following a theft conviction last year related to a Suburban he failed to return to the dealership after its lease expired and he awaits sentencing on additional theft charges after he cashed three checks totaling more than $40,000. The checks were mistakenly sent to Mitchell after Nye County Commissioners terminated his animal control contract in 2000.

    In 2001 the United States Department of Agriculture revoked Mitchell's All Acting Animals license to own exotic cats after it was determined he didn't provide minimal care per federal standards.

    Where they are going is going to seem like heaven. According to Martell the Wild Animal Orphanage will treat and "immediately vet" the cats, they will be put on a diet and will see a veterinarian regularly. "It's a big, natural habitat," Martell said of the orphanage. "There will be no contact with humans, and they'll be neutered so no breeding, but they will be able to live out their lives in peace."

    Martell said the no breeding rule is included in sanctuary standards, and is used to spot illegitimate sanctuaries that would exploit the animals for profit.

    "After getting the tigers and leopards from All Acting Animals some much-needed veterinary care, I greatly look forward to releasing them in to spacious, naturalistic enclosures," stated Carol Asvestas , executive director of the Wild Animal Orphanage.

    Martell said the group was at Betty Honn's Animal Adoption Ltd. in Henderson on Wednesday to rescue eight tigers, three lions, two leopards, four wolves, and four monkeys. The taking was necessary, said Martell, in light of Honn's death and the subsequent insolvency of her sanctuary.

    The leopard that bit Allman last week remains penned up on the Pahrump property. It is in quarantine.

    http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes. com/2005/03/04/news/sanctuary.html

    To: National Desk

    Contact: Chris Cutter, 508-737-4623 or ccutter@ifaw.org , Kerry Branon, 508-744-2068 or kbranon@ifaw.org , both of the International Fund for Animal Welfare

    YARMOUTH PORT , Mass. , March 1 / U.S. Newswire/ -- Thirteen big cats and their neighbors will be safer thanks to the help of IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare - www.ifaw.org). Over the next two days, an IFAW-funded sanctuary, the Wild Animal Orphanage (WAO) is moving three lions, two leopards, four wolves and eight tigers from two separate homes near Las Vegas to a suitable sanctuary in Texas .

    "Keeping lions and tigers as pets is a growing phenomenon that is causing a huge public safety and animal welfare issue," said IFAW's Josephine Martell, "It's a bad idea for animals and people."

    The number of Americans keeping tigers and other big cats as pets continues to grow. IFAW estimates that there are 10,000 tigers being kept as pets in the U.S. , double the amount left living in the wild in the entire world. Since 1990, tigers have killed 11 people and injured 60 others. Just last week, a tiger escaped and was roaming the neighborhoods of Ventura County , near Los Angeles before it was shot and killed by authorities.

    "Many of the animals are living in filthy conditions. They are malnourished, without water and standing in their own excrement in cages that are too small," WAO's Carole Asvestas said. "With IFAW's help, we will provide them with the care and facilities they deserve."

    Across the country, legislators have realized that private ownership of dangerous animals is a national public safety threat. State legislation is currently being considered across the country including Washington , Maryland , Arkansas , Iowa , Ohio and Missouri . Although the passage of the Captive Wildlife Safety Act outlawed the selling and shipping of big cats across state lines without permit, there is no federal ban against owning a tiger, lion or another big cat as a pet.

    All Acting Animals (Mitchell, Karl)
    USDA License #88-C-0076
    6941 Oakridge Rd., Pahrump, NV 89048
    
    

    All Acting Animals has failed to meet minimal federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as established in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed formal charges against All Acting Animals for chronic, serious violations that include failure to provide animals with drinking water, failure to provide wholesome, uncontaminated food, failure to provide shelter from the elements, failure to provide adequate space, and failure to maintain enclosures and for threatening and harassing USDA officials. The USDA has cited All Acting Animals for failure to provide veterinary care and for filthy and unsanitary conditions. Karl Mitchell has been arrested numerous times and charged with burglary, carrying loaded guns in public, assault, felony stalking, auto theft, and evading arrest. The California Fish and Game Department considers Mitchell a danger to both people and animals. Contact PETA for documentation.

    
    Animals in recent inventory: 12 tigers, 2 ligers, a lion, a kangaroo, and a camel.

    February 5, 2001: According to a KLAS-TV Las Vegas, Nevada, news report covering Mitchell's controversial hiring as head of Nye County Animal Control, "California Fish and Game . has seized animals from Mitchell, denied him permits for others, and . characterized him as 'a dangerous person and a serious liability to any person or animal he's involved with.' . [Mitchell has been arrested for] burglary, carrying loaded guns in public, [and] assault. In Nye County, he was busted a dozen times in just six years, for, among other things, pointing a loaded gun at a person and trying to intimidate witnesses. . In a 1996 interview, Mitchell's then-wife . said he started beating her shortly after they were married. The last time, he sent her to a hospital with broken ribs. . Mitchell was busted in Clark County for felony stalking of his estranged wife."
    
    The newscast also stated that Clark County officials reported Mitchell had sewn shut a snake's mouth using a needle and thread-and no anesthesia-to keep the animal's mouth closed during use on a movie set.

    January 18, 2001: The USDA filed charges against All Acting Animals for violating the Animal Welfare Act .

    USDA investigators found that on several occasions, Mitchell had interfered with, threatened, abused, and harassed USDA officials in the performance of their duties. In addition, investigators have documented that Mitchell has failed to:

    · allow officials access to his facilities, animals, and records

    · maintain required records

    · maintain enclosures

    · adequately store supplies of food so as to protect them from deterioration or spoilage

    · provide sufficient shade to protect animals from direct sunlight

    · provide shelter from inclement weather

    · house animals in outdoor facilities with a proper perimeter fence

    · construct perimeter fencing that restricts the entrance of other animals

    · provide animals with sufficient space in which to make normal postural and social adjustments

    · provide food that was wholesome, palatable, and free of contamination

    · provide animals with water as often as necessary for the health and comfort of the animal

    · maintain an effective program for the control of pests

    · properly clean and repair premises

    September 14, 2000: The USDA cited All Acting Animals for failure to correct previously identified violations of not providing adequate shelter from the elements, failure to repair enclosures and fences, and poor housekeeping .
    
    The inspector discussed watering regulations after Mitchell stated that he withholds water as a training technique . This practice may lead to dehydration and cause serious damage to internal organs.

    
    The USDA inspection team requested and received an escort from the Nye County sheriff's office.

    July 24, 2000: The USDA cited All Acting Animals for failure to correct previously identified violations of not providing adequate shelter from the elements, failure to provide minimum space, failure to provide animals with drinking water, filthy conditions, and failure to repair enclosures and fences .
    
    The inspector wrote, "Animals appeared crowded and unable to receive the exercise required for healthy young animals. . Several enclosures had a buildup of old, soiled, and damp straw bedding. . [A]ccess to residence was repeatedly denied by licensee, Karl Mitchell. When asked if animals were in the house, he stated that there were 'no cats in the house that we want to see.'"
    
    All Acting Animals was also cited for giving a kangaroo drinking water that was "totally fouled, red in color, and opaque." The kangaroo enclosure had a buildup of fecal material and soiled straw. A young camel had no ventilated shade to provide relief from heat. All Acting Animals was cited for failure to provide wholesome, palatable, and uncontaminated food and failure to maintain records of acquisition and disposition.
    
    The inspector also noted that Mitchell was instructed to remove a sign identifying the facility as a "USDA Government Facility."
    
    The USDA inspection team requested and received an escort from the Nye County sheriff's office.

    June 29, 2000: The USDA cited All Acting Animals for failure to correct a previously identified violation of refusing access to the premises . The inspector wrote, "Mr. Mitchell denied access to his facility for an inspection on June 29, 2000. He did not provide a reason for not allowing us to inspect. He refused to sign the inspection report and walked away."

    May 16, 2000: The USDA cited All Acting Animals for failure to correct a previously identified violation of not providing animals with adequate shelter from the elements .

    
    A lion named Nala was not provided minimum space. The inspector wrote, " Enclosure has inadequate space as evidenced by poor coat condition and abnormal behavior patterns (i.e., stereotypic pacing) ."

    
    The facility was cited for failure to provide animals with water. The inspector wrote, " When released, [a tiger cub named Valentino] drank thirstily for several minutes ."

    
    The USDA cited All Acting Animals for filthy conditions. The inspector found enclosures with a buildup of fecal material and old, soiled, and damp straw bedding.

    
    All Acting Animals was also cited for failure to provide access to records, enclosures in disrepair, and improper food storage.

    April 11, 2000: The USDA cited All Acting Animals for failure to correct previously identified violations of not providing animals with adequate shelter from the elements and direct sunlight as well as for poor housekeeping .

    
    All Acting Animals was also cited for unsanitary conditions and inadequate pest control.

    January 20, 2000: The USDA cited All Acting Animals for failure to have a responsible person available for inspection. The inspector noted, "Unauthorized public would have easy and immediate access to enclosures housing large exotic felids. . [I]nspector observed enclosures in disrepair and without adequate shelter."

    December 7, 1999: All Acting Animals was cited for failure to provide veterinary care to a lion with a weak and wobbly gait , failure to have a current veterinary care program, failure to maintain records of acquisition and disposition, failure to secure enclosures to prevent unauthorized access, improperly constructed enclosures, failure to provide shelter from the elements, inadequate perimeter fencing, failure to provide a veterinarian-approved diet, and poor housekeeping.

    January 7, 1999: The USDA cited All Acting Animals for failure to have a local veterinarian and failure to provide minimum space to a tiger named Diva.

    June 30, 1998: The USDA cited All Acting Animals for failure to correct the previously identified violations of not properly disposing of food and animal waste and poor housekeeping .

    
    All Acting Animals was also cited for using soiled bedding material, enclosures in need of repair, and a cluttered food preparation area.

    May 13, 1996: All Acting Animals was cited by the USDA for giving animals contaminated drinking water in dirty receptacles, filthy enclosures littered with several days of feces and food waste , failure to adequately train employees, failure to make transport enclosures, program of veterinary care, and acquisition and disposition records available for inspection, inadequate pest control, and grounds and food storage area scattered with trash.

    August 3, 1993: The USDA sent certified mail to All Acting Animals cautioning the facility that its repeated failure to construct a perimeter fence could result in legal action.

    August 1, 1993: According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal , Mitchell acquired two "liger" (tiger and lion crossbreed) cubs from Jordan Circus after they were born on the road. Mitchell claimed that the cubs make "good pets."

    July 13, 1993: The USDA cited All Acting Animals for failure to correct a previously identified violation of not constructing a perimeter fence . The facility was also cited for improper fencing and fencing in disrepair, algae buildup in the tigers' water receptacle, and poor housekeeping.

    July 11, 1990: According to the Las Vegas Sun , Karl Mitchell stored a 5-year-old tiger in a garage for nearly three months. Mitchell was asked to remove the tiger when he failed to provide proof of insurance to the owner of the garage. The tiger was relocated to a bookmobile.

    June 24, 1985: The San Diego Union-Tribune reported, "Following a wild chase, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies booked Karl Mitchell, 33, for investigation of evading arrest, assault against an officer, auto theft, possession of a concealed weapon, damaging a state vehicle, and possessing a tiger without a permit."

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• Bhagavan Antle Bhagavan Antle

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    Bhagavan Antle

    AKA "Doc" Antle (but he's no intellectual)

    When Carole Baskin and Big Cat Rescue became known for trying to stop the trade in exotic cats as pets, Bhagavan Antle, who is often called Doc Antle a breeder of ligers, lions and tigers, began bashing her and Big Cat Rescue. There is no justification for inbreeding tigers to create the white coats and no excuse for cross breeding lions and tigers just because ignorant people will be to see a freak. Ligers and white tigers suffer painful birth defects that often kill them as youngsters, but for those in the business of having plenty of babies on hand, that is better for the exploiters.

    See an interactive online map of exotic cat owners . See people being stupid with big cats, endangering themselves and others HERE . See the awful conditions that many captive cats endure HERE .

    A liger is the result of breeding a male lion to a tigress. A tigon is the result of breeding a male tiger to a lioness. Since lions and tigers do not exist in the same areas, this is not something that happens in the wild. It is done in captivity by disreputable carnies to produce a freak that ignorant people will pay to see. These cats suffer from many birth defects and usually die young. Because ligers are usually larger than either parent, it also puts the tigress at great risk in carrying the young and may require C-section deliveries or kill her in the process. When the public quits paying to see these unfortunate creatures, the evil people responsible for breeding them will stop this inhumane practice.

    Watch a video below that was created by a teenage supporter of Big Cat Rescue who already understands, better than most adults, what the truth is behind the breeding and showcasing of ligers.

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    You can stop the abuse. Don't support places, like T.I.G.E.R.S. and Jungle Island, that breed ligers. Bhagavan Antle who calls himself Doc Antle , the person you will most often see promoting this shameful practice, has gone to great lengths to stop us and the brave young girl who created the video above, from letting you know the truth. Visit her YouTube site HERE and let her know you appreciate what she is doing to prevent the future breeding of ligers and tigons.

    When you see ligers in the news or on TV, write the station and let the reporters know the truth about hybrids. You can send 5 letters at once to the media of your choice through an online email system at CatLaws.com

    

    The following story attempts to make it sound like there could be some reason to breed lions and tigers for public amusement, but anyone who cares about animals knows that this is a despicable thing to do because the cats have to spend their lives in deprivation and confinement and are genetically so unhealthy that they usually die young. The ONLY reason anyone breeds ligers is to create a freak that simple minded people will pay to see.

    Ligers Make a "Dynamite" Leap Into the Limelight

    by: Maryann Mott August 5, 2005

    It's half lion, half tiger, and completely real. Now thanks to a cameo in the 2004 cult movie Napoleon Dynamite, the liger has leaped into the limelight, prompting fans to ask, What are they really like?

    The faintly striped, shaggy-maned creatures are the offspring of male lions and female tigers, which gives them the ability to both roar like lions and chuff like tigers-a supposedly affectionate sound that falls somewhere between a purr and a raspberry.

    Weighing in at about a thousand pounds (450 kilograms) each, they typically devour 50 pounds (23 kilograms) of raw meat in a meal.

    "For the most part they're really laid back," said Jason Hutcherson, vice president of Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain , Georgia . "They like to swim and play in the water."

    The drive-through wildlife park is believed to have the country's largest concentration of ligers, housing ten of the massive cats.

    Since 1999 the park has bred its male lion and female tiger many times, producing about 24 cubs.

    Not all of them have been healthy, though.

    "We've had 3 out of 24 that, for all practical purposes, were normal but developed as they grew older some kind of neurological disorder," Hutcherson said.

    Autopsies didn't reveal what caused the cubs to develop "head shakes," so park staff "chalked it up to a genetic defect," Hutcherson said.

    Accredited zoos frown on the practice of mixing two different species and have never bred ligers, says Jane Ballentine, a spokesperson for the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, based in Silver Spring , Maryland.

    "Keeping the two species separate has always been standard procedure," she said.

    Wild Ligers?

    

    Long before fans heard Napoleon claim that the liger is "pretty much my favorite animal," there have been rumors of the hybrid's existence in the wild.

    Lion-tiger mating occurs in captivity. But it does not happen in the wild, probably for the same reason humans do not breed with gorillas or chimps.

    "Crossing the species line" does not generally occur in the wild, because "it would result in diminished fitness of the offspring," said Ronald Tilson, director of conservation at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley.

    Geography is another obstacle to natural lion-tiger mating. Wild tigers mainly inhabit Asia, whereas the lion's current natural habitat is almost entirely in Africa .

    The Gir National Forest in India is the only place in the world where tiger and lion ranges overlap, fueling speculation that wild ligers roamed the area hundreds of years ago.

    Tilson doesn't believe it.

    "This would be highly improbable, because the Gir forest is really very dry and not optimal tiger habitat," he said.

    A Liger Named Patrick

    Perched on the edge of the Mojave Desert near Los Angeles , California , a lone liger, named Patrick, lives at Shambala Preserve, which bills itself as "a haven for endangered exotic big cats."

    "The interesting thing about these animals is that they have the best qualities of the tiger and the best of the lion," said movie actress and conservationist Tippi Hedren, who has run Shambala since 1972. "Those qualities manifest themselves in the fact that they like to be in the water [a tiger trait] and are very social [a lion trait]."

    Many of the cats at the 80-acre (32-hectare) sanctuary are orphans or castoffs from circuses, zoos, and private owners who could no longer care for the animals.

    

    The 800-pound (360-kilogram) liger was kept in such a small cage that his hind-leg muscles had started to atrophy, said Hedren, who starred in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.

    Patrick's compound at Shambala allows him plenty of room for exercise. A stream runs through his compound, so his tiger half can play in the water or his lion half can stay out of it, whichever he chooses.

    Liger in the Hills

    Spirit of the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Spearfish, South Dakota , recently acquired a liger named Samson and 48 other big cats after federal authorities closed a Minnesota wildlife facility.

    "Everyone who comes wants to see Samson," said Trevor Smith, an environmental biologist and sanctuary board member.

    The four-and-a-half-year-old hybrid tips the scales at over a thousand pounds (over 450 kilograms), and eats 30 to 50 pounds (14 to 23 kilograms) of raw meat every other day.

    

    The sanctuary-whose mission is to educate people about wild animals and emphasize that they don't make good pets-has seen a surge in visitors since Samson's arrival in June.

    Much of the public's curiosity about the liger stems from Napoleon Dynamite, Smith said.

    Smith worries that Samson is "becoming too much of a freak show."

    If Samson had his way, Smith said, he'd sleep away the day inside, away from public view.

    "We've had a huge ethical debate at the sanctuary on whether or not we should lock him out of his shed," Smith said. "But at the same time, he's why the visitors are coming."

    Tigons and Ti-tigons

    A tigon is the product of a male tiger and female lion. They receive growth inhibitor genes from both parents and so are smaller than either of them. They show much the same coloration of ligers except they sometimes have more distinct stripes. As with ligers the females are fertile whereas the males are sterile. They have the same vocalizations as liger, a sort of cross between lion and tiger. Ti-tigons speak tiger. Tigons are now rarer than ligers, but in the late 1800's/early 1900's tigons were more common.

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