The purpose of this letter is really two-fold, lest anyone feel misled in a few sentences. I feel moved, as the holiday season approaches, to encourage residents and readers to shop locally. While I am sure you will hear this message countless times in the next few weeks, my interest in it is of a more compassionate nature. For example, the Delta Plaza Mall is apparently so very strapped for resources that they are resorting to promoting animal abuse as a form of entertainment with the latest appearance of Joe "Exotic", a man who's 'rescue sanctuary' in Oklahoma has been fined $25,000 by the United States Department of Agriculture for animal abuse and neglect violations. This very 'Mystic Magic of the Endangered' farce that he puts on has been suspended numerous times. Don't believe our mall would promote such shameless exploitation? Last year, I wrote to all the mall merchants and mall management begging them to refuse this guy a venue. I was told they needed it to support business at the mall. I offered to help find something less disgusting, more family friendly, and better for our community. What about non-animal magic shows? What about puppet shows? What about any number of travelling children's shows? I personally boycotted the Delta Plaza all through the last holiday season because of it, but that doesn't solve the problem and it hurts the people who work there. If the mall needs that much money, this year I beg you, Delta County, to forego the Internet and trips to Green Bay and give the Delta Plaza the best season it's had in years so that they will stop the exploitation of animals for profit. Joe 'Exotic' is a known abuser. He breeds babies for you to handle in malls and then when they get too big for him to handle, he gives them away to collectors through Animal Finder's Guide, a trade publication that peddles exotic animals to breeders, dealers, and the pet trade. Even though Joe promotes himself as providing a refuge for "rescued" animals, by breeding animals to ensure a steady supply of cute babies to serve as stage props, he is in fact directly contributing to the exotic-animal trade that he purports to abhor. A true sanctuary and animal lover would never haul animals around the country in an unventilated, windowless trailer for days to display in a mall. Look into your heart and take a good look at this guy. Find the videos on the internet of the abuse, if you can stand it. You know it's wrong to have tigers in a mall. You know it. Research as much as you can, and then make the decision to shop locally this holiday season. Buy something from the Delta Plaza Mall every day until Valentine's Day, if you can. It's much better than looking at babies in cages. After all, that's truly in the spirit of the season, right? Bridgette Jaakola Escanaba
Controversial Christian zoo skinned tiger Tira and stored her head in freezer
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 10:52 PM on 19th October 2009
A Christian zoo decapitated a dead tiger and cut off its paws before it dumped the carcass on farmland and stored the head in a freezer, an investigation has revealed.
The female Bengal tiger called Tira was skinned after she died of natural causes and then buried in a black bin bag at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm.
Investigators also discovered she was on loan from the owner of the Great British Circus - one of the last big top shows in Britain to use live tigers in performances.
Bosses at the zoo, in Wraxall near Bristol, admitted the skin, paws and head were removed to be hung on the wall as part of a display for 'secondary education'.
After the revelations, staff at Noah's Ark - which promotes creationism and denies the theory of evolution - dug up the remains and incinerated them.
The case emerged in an undercover investigation by campaign group the Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS), which planted an undercover worker at the zoo.
The organisation also claims the zoo is raising young tigers as part of a breeding programme to hand back to the circus.
Campaign Director Craig Redmond today called for the attraction to be closed down.
He said: 'What we discovered was shocking but really only scratched at the surface of what goes on in zoos.
'We initially planned just to confirm that the zoo was a breeding centre for the circus owner but the fate of the tiger Tira, her mutilated body dumped in a hole, shows how these animals are treated as commodities, bred to attract tourists.
'We have reported the zoo to various authorities including the local council which licenses the zoo, calling for an investigation as well as its licence to be revoked.'
The undercover 'employee' spent two months working as a volunteer at the site from early June to mid August and secretly filmed conversations.
During that time, recorded conversations confirmed that staff were aware animals were received from Martin Lacey, who owns the Great British Circus.
But when asked, members of the public were told the animals were bought in from a 'private collection in the north' - which it emerged was Mr Lacey.
Three tigers arrived at the zoo in June and July, one of which was the heavily pregnant six-year-old Bengal tiger, Tira.
Three of her cubs were stillborn and the fourth was immediately removed and hand-reared but died three weeks later.
Tira died ten days after the birth and staff cut off her head and paws before her skin was removed and her body dumped on the farm's grounds.
Mr Redmond added: 'The body was buried for reasons unknown, but before any test or a post mortem could be carried out to ascertain the cause of death.
'The head was later seen by our undercover investigator wrapped in a black bag in a freezer, but the paws were never seen again.
'Our insider was told the skin would be hung on the wall as a decoration.'
Anthony Bush, the owner of Noah's Ark, said he has since dug the tiger up and corrected his mistake after Defra vowed to investigate.
A spokeswoman for the zoo said: 'Noah's Ark does not own or hold circus tigers and they are not the property of the Great British Circus.
'The Tigers at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm belong to Linctrek Ltd, a company providing trained animals for use in film, other collections and TV.
'A director of Linctrek is Martin Lacey, who also owns the Great British Circus. We have never, when questioned, withheld information regarding this.
'It has always been well known that our tigers and camels come from a private collector in the north of England.
'Tira the tiger died from a pre-existing condition which was found following a thorough and legal post mortem. Being a zoo and a farm we buried the Tiger under regulations covering farm land.
'However, on subsequently being informed of other regulations we acted instantly to remedy this situation.
'The tiger skin, head and feet will be used for secondary education here at the Zoo and is a common practice within the zoo community.
'The welfare of the animals is exceptional with Noah's Ark passing government and institutionally accredited inspections.'
However, the zoo denied claims that it is part of a breeding programme and says it had 'no immediate plans' to hand back Tira's cubs.
The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Somerset Trading Standards and Defra have all vowed to investigate the allegations.
Professional group the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums said it would also investigate.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1221493/Zoo-skinned-dead-tiger-Tira-stored-head-freezer.html
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.
TAYLOR — When Judi Vig, a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, saw exotic animals on display Wednesday at Southland Center, it sent alarms off in her mind.
She called City Hall to check that everything was in order with the display and to voice concerns about the animals’ welfare.
Vig said PETA has had issues with G.W. Exotic Animals of Wynnewood, Okla., which houses the animals Awakening Production uses.
Awakening Production came to Southland with lion and tiger cubs and a baby kangaroo.
It set up a display where people could see the animals, and if they wanted, pay $25 for two people to spend eight minutes in a cage with tiger cubs and a trainer.
Today is the show’s last day.
Awakening Production had not obtained a permit to hold a special event, which is required, said Joseph Nardone, the city’s executive director of development services.
A representative of the company came to City Hall with a letter from Southland Center giving permission for the event and to seek a permit, he said.
Ordinance and animal control officers investigated the complaint, he said.
Animal control officers found no violations, city officials said. The permit was issued.
As of Thursday afternoon, the company was in compliance with all city ordinances, Nardone said.
“Getting to touch a baby tiger is a moment in a lifetime,” said Michael Bussey, stage manager for Awakening Production.
“You’re seated. You go in with a certified trainer. The tigers will roam around the cage, crawl on your lap, and you can pet them.”
There were plenty of takers, from young children to a 93-year-old woman, he said. But mainly, it was young families, especially mothers with their children.
Awakening Production also put on a free magic show each day. The purpose behind the magic show is to educate the public about ownership of exotic animals, Bussey said.
It booked several visits with General Growth Properties, which owns Southland Center and other malls across the country, Bussey said.
Awakening Production came with a 4-month-old white tiger; two 8-week-old tigers, which went into the play cages with visitors; a 13-week-old tiger; two 3-week-old lions; and a 3-month-old kangaroo, said Vicky Welch, road manager and animal caretaker.
Fourteen people, including stage crew and animal caretakers, travel with the animals, Welch said.
Comments:
all you sorry people that have no clear understanding related to animal rights....The show at Southland was for self gain......Do you all know HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MADE! At the expense of breeding tigers that they can take around the country...to make money off you fools then they give or sell those tigers when they are too big...they end up in China and so on for their herbal cures....you people need to wake up, your just as guilty as they are....don't tell this woman to wake up she is very much awake...which is more then what I can say to you sorry people that can't engage your children into more productive activity to protect the environment and rights of animals.....you all get off easy putting your kid in a cage with an abused animal and you think your TEACHING or putting a star on your forehead for being a good parent....do your homework first!!!! Also, PETA along with other animal groups are all around...what do you think your local animal shelters, PAWS, etc.....what do you think they do...Also, The circus animals are also in a mess of abuse....pay attention and get involved...Don't attend GIB. Trade Center Circus......I wonder how many of you people that gave your hard earned money or welfare check money to this group just ignored putting a good meal on your table for your kids....Oh I know I forgot people like you get off easy.....processed food for the kids...right...$1.00 burgers at mcdonalds....PS.....I'm proud of my kids they wanted NO part of this! " go michigan
" I'm not a member of PETA but would NEVER EVER put my kids in a cage with a wild animal.....I don't ever want them to think that it is cute or FAIR to the animal, they do not need to be in cages they need to be in their natural environment.....free....not caged! City of Taylor and Southland should be ashamed for allowing this! I'm HAPPY this girl made the phone call....we need more people like her... " non member of PeTA
" while everyone who paid money to sit with an exotic animal and said it was a great family moment talk about wake up and smell the real world if u thought that was so great an experience WHAT ABOUT THE ANIMALS where are their parents? how about the family experience for the wild animals?For areal family experience try the park, playing catch with ur kids when are parents going to get it MEMORIES CANNOT BE BOUGHT THEY MUST BE EXPERIENCED!!Thankfully this woman knew that and tried to point that out, good for her THANK YOU!!! " wendy
" I was at the mall today doing some shopping with my son. We didn't even know about the 'show' until we were walking through the mall.
We wandered over and looked into one of the cages. There was a man sitting on the floor, holding his toddler daughter. The little girl was terrified of the baby tiger. She was screaming and kicking at the tiger. I think she made contact at one point. The employee never suggested the child be taken out of the cage, nor did the father have enough brains to cut the 'visit' short.
Now, repeat that scenario several times a day, in different cities, year round and tell me that these animals aren't being exploited and mistreated. It made me sick.
I am not a member of PETA. I agree that the organization is full of kooks. They were correct in their assessment of this 'show', however. " calumet
" This is another sad excuse for an “educational show”, where in reality these animals are being exploited for one reason only – monetary gain. These cute baby tiger and lion cubs will grow up to be 300-500 lb big cats and are destined for a life in captivity or worse, can end up in canned hunts or killed for the black market. There are more tigers in captivity in the United States then there are in the wild. Until laws are passed restricting private ownership and exploitation of these great cats, this type of animal cruelty will continue. For more information about “Big Cat Exhibition” visit: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/bigcatexhibition.htm " tigress62
Why would you ask such a question? "Are you with them 24/7"? Well, what you do think? NO! That is why I said hopefully, they get fed and are well taken care of. I do not associate with the animals mentioned in this article nor do I know the trainers and/or owners.
Think about this, "protectanimals", they MUST be PROPERLY TRAINED, because why else would this company allow people to GO INSIDE THE CAGES WITH THE ANIMALS? It would be insane to let in-experienced people into a cage with a wild animals, babies or not.
Here's something else to think about. If the animals weren't trained, don't you think the company would of done something about that? Obviously they are, because why would a company like this allow in-experienced people into a cage with a wild animal? I don't post on this blog to argue! " josh
" Josh.....they are pretty harmless at this age........they are far from trained, they are helpless and are used for money (it's a million dollar company), when they get too big they are not used anymore, they only breed them for their shows and once they get a certain age thats it for them.....'cause they can not be on the shows anymore..they sure would not let a child go in a cage with an adult tiger...this person who made the call to the city did it out of concern and I have to agree with her...this company just came in for the money and they will go to the next town....they made alot of money from the downriver residents, they are pros! " " Also, Josh, Those workers would NEVER get in a cage with an adult tiger or lion....Never....the workers are only trained to work the crowd for the money and once again they have duped the public....those poor animals....their fate will not be good...I'm a retired teacher and have been a advocate for animals for many many years and have also known about this G.W. Exotic Animal group for a long time, they are very sly and never let anyone know what town they are going to next. "protectanimals
" How can any reporter do a story about baby lions and tigers at a mall and not investigate how it was that they were bred into such a miserable life and what will happen with them in a couple of months when they are too big to pet. Any one with access to the Internet could easily find out that these precious animals will spend the rest of their lives in tiny, filthy cages, be shot for their pelts, cut up for meat or worse. If people don't know, it is because they choose to be ignorant, but that doesn't ease the suffering. More at Dying To Be Held http://www.bigcatrescue dot org/000news/0articlesbybcr/2008DyingToBeHeld dot htm "
" You are so right BIGCATRESCUE...the news herald was very partial with this article....they could have done more, they wanted this to be just another cute article...shame on them.....most of the article is centered around the people who put on the show...what do you think they are going to say..they are making a lot of money..they sugar coated the whole event..make phone calls and complain...I wonder if they will post any of these comments as a follow up in the paper...and phone calls need to go to the city hall and southland mall for allowing this......Why didn't the news herald reporter talk to the crowd about this animal show? They took one phone call and then went out and let the event employees make it look so great...and why wasn't the permit pulled prior to the show...how come that wasn't asked? How come this animal show wasn't advertised anywhere prior to coming? How come that wasn't asked? You know why...they don't want anyone to know they are coming to a local mall. How come the paper didn't asked "where do the animals go when they are grown, is it right to pull these babies away from the mother, how 'bout the baby kangaroo that should be in the mothers pouch not a purse hanging from a rack....the paper could have done BETTER asking questions.....maybe next time they will send a smarter reporter that thinks outside the box and doesn't just interview the event employees or take cute pictures of these babies....The paper should have had the pictures of reality of these tigers/lions stuck in cages or cut up for meat etc. Dear News Herald...take a good look at your cute little pictures you put in the newspapers of the baby tigers and I hope you always remember that cute little face will be shipped off when too big, sold for meat/hide/herbal and have a life of abuse before they are killed....next time news-herald TELL the whole story! " protectanimals
" PETA, DOESN'T THAT STAND FOR "PEOPLE EATING TASTY ANIMALS,
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, LOOKING AT ANIMALS IN CAGES IS ONE THING, BUT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO GO INSIDE THE CAGE WITH A WILD ANIMAL IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, PERHAPS EVERYONE SAW THE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR IN THE CAGE GETTING HER YEARBOOK PICTURE TAKEN IN MINNESOTA LAST YEAR, SHE WAS MALLED TO DEATH, (ITS OKAY THE TRAINER SAID, WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR!) WHAT ABOUT THE TELEVISION COMMERICAL CHIMP WHO RECENTLY ATTACKED BITING A WOMAN HANDS OFF, HER FACE, AND EYES, FORGOT ABOUT SIGFRIED & ROY, OR THE FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN CROCIDILE MAN? THIS WEEK ON THE NEWS A WOMAN FOUGHT OFF A COUGAR WHO ATTACKED HER SON ON A WALKING TRAIL, ANIMALS NEED TO BE SECURED IN A ZOO (TWO YOUNG MEN WERE KILLED RECENTLY AT SAN FRANCISCO ZOO WHEN A LION ESCAPED) LEAVE THEM IN THE WILD, & REMEMBER WHEN YOU VISIT YOU ARE PART OF THE FOOD CHAIN!!!!!!!!1 " hello
" Why would any parent let their child get in a cage with an animal?????This isn't like a visit to santa or the easter bunny. Bad Parenting! " why
" Who CARES to what group the woman who reported it belongs. You people are so busy shooting the messenger you've completely ignored the message.
You REALLY can't see anything wrong with taking babies away from their mothers? THREE WEEK old lion cubs don't send up a red flag with you? Three week old cubs (three MONTH for that matter) should be with their mother, and vice versa. SHAME on this greedy company for exploiting animals (AND taking advantage of people with thicker wallets than brains). " K
" The news herald is a great local paper and they do a good job however they got it wrong with this story. They need to tell the whole true story about this company and the future of these poor animals its like they just protected this company and forgot about the abuse to these animals. " freespeech
TAYLOR — When Judi Vig, a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, saw exotic animals on display Wednesday at Southland Center, it sent alarms off in her mind.
She called City Hall to check that everything was in order with the display and to voice concerns about the animals’ welfare.
Vig said PETA has had issues with G.W. Exotic Animals of Wynnewood, Okla., which houses the animals Awakening Production uses.
Awakening Production came to Southland with lion and tiger cubs and a baby kangaroo.
It set up a display where people could see the animals, and if they wanted, pay $25 for two people to spend eight minutes in a cage with tiger cubs and a trainer.
Today is the show’s last day.
Awakening Production had not obtained a permit to hold a special event, which is required, said Joseph Nardone, the city’s executive director of development services.
A representative of the company came to City Hall with a letter from Southland Center giving permission for the event and to seek a permit, he said.
Ordinance and animal control officers investigated the complaint, he said.
Animal control officers found no violations, city officials said. The permit was issued.
As of Thursday afternoon, the company was in compliance with all city ordinances, Nardone said.
“Getting to touch a baby tiger is a moment in a lifetime,” said Michael Bussey, stage manager for Awakening Production.
“You’re seated. You go in with a certified trainer. The tigers will roam around the cage, crawl on your lap, and you can pet them.”
There were plenty of takers, from young children to a 93-year-old woman, he said. But mainly, it was young families, especially mothers with their children.
Awakening Production also put on a free magic show each day. The purpose behind the magic show is to educate the public about ownership of exotic animals, Bussey said.
It booked several visits with General Growth Properties, which owns Southland Center and other malls across the country, Bussey said.
Awakening Production came with a 4-month-old white tiger; two 8-week-old tigers, which went into the play cages with visitors; a 13-week-old tiger; two 3-week-old lions; and a 3-month-old kangaroo, said Vicky Welch, road manager and animal caretaker.
Fourteen people, including stage crew and animal caretakers, travel with the animals, Welch said.
Comments:
all you sorry people that have no clear understanding related to animal rights....The show at Southland was for self gain......Do you all know HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MADE! At the expense of breeding tigers that they can take around the country...to make money off you fools then they give or sell those tigers when they are too big...they end up in China and so on for their herbal cures....you people need to wake up, your just as guilty as they are....don't tell this woman to wake up she is very much awake...which is more then what I can say to you sorry people that can't engage your children into more productive activity to protect the environment and rights of animals.....you all get off easy putting your kid in a cage with an abused animal and you think your TEACHING or putting a star on your forehead for being a good parent....do your homework first!!!! Also, PETA along with other animal groups are all around...what do you think your local animal shelters, PAWS, etc.....what do you think they do...Also, The circus animals are also in a mess of abuse....pay attention and get involved...Don't attend GIB. Trade Center Circus......I wonder how many of you people that gave your hard earned money or welfare check money to this group just ignored putting a good meal on your table for your kids....Oh I know I forgot people like you get off easy.....processed food for the kids...right...$1.00 burgers at mcdonalds....PS.....I'm proud of my kids they wanted NO part of this! " go michigan
" I'm not a member of PETA but would NEVER EVER put my kids in a cage with a wild animal.....I don't ever want them to think that it is cute or FAIR to the animal, they do not need to be in cages they need to be in their natural environment.....free....not caged! City of Taylor and Southland should be ashamed for allowing this! I'm HAPPY this girl made the phone call....we need more people like her... " non member of PeTA
" while everyone who paid money to sit with an exotic animal and said it was a great family moment talk about wake up and smell the real world if u thought that was so great an experience WHAT ABOUT THE ANIMALS where are their parents? how about the family experience for the wild animals?For areal family experience try the park, playing catch with ur kids when are parents going to get it MEMORIES CANNOT BE BOUGHT THEY MUST BE EXPERIENCED!!Thankfully this woman knew that and tried to point that out, good for her THANK YOU!!! " wendy
" I was at the mall today doing some shopping with my son. We didn't even know about the 'show' until we were walking through the mall.
We wandered over and looked into one of the cages. There was a man sitting on the floor, holding his toddler daughter. The little girl was terrified of the baby tiger. She was screaming and kicking at the tiger. I think she made contact at one point. The employee never suggested the child be taken out of the cage, nor did the father have enough brains to cut the 'visit' short.
Now, repeat that scenario several times a day, in different cities, year round and tell me that these animals aren't being exploited and mistreated. It made me sick.
I am not a member of PETA. I agree that the organization is full of kooks. They were correct in their assessment of this 'show', however. " calumet
" This is another sad excuse for an “educational show”, where in reality these animals are being exploited for one reason only – monetary gain. These cute baby tiger and lion cubs will grow up to be 300-500 lb big cats and are destined for a life in captivity or worse, can end up in canned hunts or killed for the black market. There are more tigers in captivity in the United States then there are in the wild. Until laws are passed restricting private ownership and exploitation of these great cats, this type of animal cruelty will continue. For more information about “Big Cat Exhibition” visit: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/bigcatexhibition.htm " tigress62
Why would you ask such a question? "Are you with them 24/7"? Well, what you do think? NO! That is why I said hopefully, they get fed and are well taken care of. I do not associate with the animals mentioned in this article nor do I know the trainers and/or owners.
Think about this, "protectanimals", they MUST be PROPERLY TRAINED, because why else would this company allow people to GO INSIDE THE CAGES WITH THE ANIMALS? It would be insane to let in-experienced people into a cage with a wild animals, babies or not.
Here's something else to think about. If the animals weren't trained, don't you think the company would of done something about that? Obviously they are, because why would a company like this allow in-experienced people into a cage with a wild animal? I don't post on this blog to argue! " josh
" Josh.....they are pretty harmless at this age........they are far from trained, they are helpless and are used for money (it's a million dollar company), when they get too big they are not used anymore, they only breed them for their shows and once they get a certain age thats it for them.....'cause they can not be on the shows anymore..they sure would not let a child go in a cage with an adult tiger...this person who made the call to the city did it out of concern and I have to agree with her...this company just came in for the money and they will go to the next town....they made alot of money from the downriver residents, they are pros! " " Also, Josh, Those workers would NEVER get in a cage with an adult tiger or lion....Never....the workers are only trained to work the crowd for the money and once again they have duped the public....those poor animals....their fate will not be good...I'm a retired teacher and have been a advocate for animals for many many years and have also known about this G.W. Exotic Animal group for a long time, they are very sly and never let anyone know what town they are going to next. "protectanimals
" How can any reporter do a story about baby lions and tigers at a mall and not investigate how it was that they were bred into such a miserable life and what will happen with them in a couple of months when they are too big to pet. Any one with access to the Internet could easily find out that these precious animals will spend the rest of their lives in tiny, filthy cages, be shot for their pelts, cut up for meat or worse. If people don't know, it is because they choose to be ignorant, but that doesn't ease the suffering. More at Dying To Be Held http://www.bigcatrescue dot org/000news/0articlesbybcr/2008DyingToBeHeld dot htm "
" You are so right BIGCATRESCUE...the news herald was very partial with this article....they could have done more, they wanted this to be just another cute article...shame on them.....most of the article is centered around the people who put on the show...what do you think they are going to say..they are making a lot of money..they sugar coated the whole event..make phone calls and complain...I wonder if they will post any of these comments as a follow up in the paper...and phone calls need to go to the city hall and southland mall for allowing this......Why didn't the news herald reporter talk to the crowd about this animal show? They took one phone call and then went out and let the event employees make it look so great...and why wasn't the permit pulled prior to the show...how come that wasn't asked? How come this animal show wasn't advertised anywhere prior to coming? How come that wasn't asked? You know why...they don't want anyone to know they are coming to a local mall. How come the paper didn't asked "where do the animals go when they are grown, is it right to pull these babies away from the mother, how 'bout the baby kangaroo that should be in the mothers pouch not a purse hanging from a rack....the paper could have done BETTER asking questions.....maybe next time they will send a smarter reporter that thinks outside the box and doesn't just interview the event employees or take cute pictures of these babies....The paper should have had the pictures of reality of these tigers/lions stuck in cages or cut up for meat etc. Dear News Herald...take a good look at your cute little pictures you put in the newspapers of the baby tigers and I hope you always remember that cute little face will be shipped off when too big, sold for meat/hide/herbal and have a life of abuse before they are killed....next time news-herald TELL the whole story! " protectanimals
" PETA, DOESN'T THAT STAND FOR "PEOPLE EATING TASTY ANIMALS,
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, LOOKING AT ANIMALS IN CAGES IS ONE THING, BUT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO GO INSIDE THE CAGE WITH A WILD ANIMAL IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, PERHAPS EVERYONE SAW THE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR IN THE CAGE GETTING HER YEARBOOK PICTURE TAKEN IN MINNESOTA LAST YEAR, SHE WAS MALLED TO DEATH, (ITS OKAY THE TRAINER SAID, WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR!) WHAT ABOUT THE TELEVISION COMMERICAL CHIMP WHO RECENTLY ATTACKED BITING A WOMAN HANDS OFF, HER FACE, AND EYES, FORGOT ABOUT SIGFRIED & ROY, OR THE FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN CROCIDILE MAN? THIS WEEK ON THE NEWS A WOMAN FOUGHT OFF A COUGAR WHO ATTACKED HER SON ON A WALKING TRAIL, ANIMALS NEED TO BE SECURED IN A ZOO (TWO YOUNG MEN WERE KILLED RECENTLY AT SAN FRANCISCO ZOO WHEN A LION ESCAPED) LEAVE THEM IN THE WILD, & REMEMBER WHEN YOU VISIT YOU ARE PART OF THE FOOD CHAIN!!!!!!!!1 " hello
" Why would any parent let their child get in a cage with an animal?????This isn't like a visit to santa or the easter bunny. Bad Parenting! " why
" Who CARES to what group the woman who reported it belongs. You people are so busy shooting the messenger you've completely ignored the message.
You REALLY can't see anything wrong with taking babies away from their mothers? THREE WEEK old lion cubs don't send up a red flag with you? Three week old cubs (three MONTH for that matter) should be with their mother, and vice versa. SHAME on this greedy company for exploiting animals (AND taking advantage of people with thicker wallets than brains). " K
" The news herald is a great local paper and they do a good job however they got it wrong with this story. They need to tell the whole true story about this company and the future of these poor animals its like they just protected this company and forgot about the abuse to these animals. " freespeech
TAYLOR — When Judi Vig, a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, saw exotic animals on display Wednesday at Southland Center, it sent alarms off in her mind.
She called City Hall to check that everything was in order with the display and to voice concerns about the animals’ welfare.
Vig said PETA has had issues with G.W. Exotic Animals of Wynnewood, Okla., which houses the animals Awakening Production uses.
Awakening Production came to Southland with lion and tiger cubs and a baby kangaroo.
It set up a display where people could see the animals, and if they wanted, pay $25 for two people to spend eight minutes in a cage with tiger cubs and a trainer.
Today is the show’s last day.
Awakening Production had not obtained a permit to hold a special event, which is required, said Joseph Nardone, the city’s executive director of development services.
A representative of the company came to City Hall with a letter from Southland Center giving permission for the event and to seek a permit, he said.
Ordinance and animal control officers investigated the complaint, he said.
Animal control officers found no violations, city officials said. The permit was issued.
As of Thursday afternoon, the company was in compliance with all city ordinances, Nardone said.
“Getting to touch a baby tiger is a moment in a lifetime,” said Michael Bussey, stage manager for Awakening Production.
“You’re seated. You go in with a certified trainer. The tigers will roam around the cage, crawl on your lap, and you can pet them.”
There were plenty of takers, from young children to a 93-year-old woman, he said. But mainly, it was young families, especially mothers with their children.
Awakening Production also put on a free magic show each day. The purpose behind the magic show is to educate the public about ownership of exotic animals, Bussey said.
It booked several visits with General Growth Properties, which owns Southland Center and other malls across the country, Bussey said.
Awakening Production came with a 4-month-old white tiger; two 8-week-old tigers, which went into the play cages with visitors; a 13-week-old tiger; two 3-week-old lions; and a 3-month-old kangaroo, said Vicky Welch, road manager and animal caretaker.
Fourteen people, including stage crew and animal caretakers, travel with the animals, Welch said.
Comments:
all you sorry people that have no clear understanding related to animal rights....The show at Southland was for self gain......Do you all know HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MADE! At the expense of breeding tigers that they can take around the country...to make money off you fools then they give or sell those tigers when they are too big...they end up in China and so on for their herbal cures....you people need to wake up, your just as guilty as they are....don't tell this woman to wake up she is very much awake...which is more then what I can say to you sorry people that can't engage your children into more productive activity to protect the environment and rights of animals.....you all get off easy putting your kid in a cage with an abused animal and you think your TEACHING or putting a star on your forehead for being a good parent....do your homework first!!!! Also, PETA along with other animal groups are all around...what do you think your local animal shelters, PAWS, etc.....what do you think they do...Also, The circus animals are also in a mess of abuse....pay attention and get involved...Don't attend GIB. Trade Center Circus......I wonder how many of you people that gave your hard earned money or welfare check money to this group just ignored putting a good meal on your table for your kids....Oh I know I forgot people like you get off easy.....processed food for the kids...right...$1.00 burgers at mcdonalds....PS.....I'm proud of my kids they wanted NO part of this! " go michigan
" I'm not a member of PETA but would NEVER EVER put my kids in a cage with a wild animal.....I don't ever want them to think that it is cute or FAIR to the animal, they do not need to be in cages they need to be in their natural environment.....free....not caged! City of Taylor and Southland should be ashamed for allowing this! I'm HAPPY this girl made the phone call....we need more people like her... " non member of PeTA
" while everyone who paid money to sit with an exotic animal and said it was a great family moment talk about wake up and smell the real world if u thought that was so great an experience WHAT ABOUT THE ANIMALS where are their parents? how about the family experience for the wild animals?For areal family experience try the park, playing catch with ur kids when are parents going to get it MEMORIES CANNOT BE BOUGHT THEY MUST BE EXPERIENCED!!Thankfully this woman knew that and tried to point that out, good for her THANK YOU!!! " wendy
" I was at the mall today doing some shopping with my son. We didn't even know about the 'show' until we were walking through the mall.
We wandered over and looked into one of the cages. There was a man sitting on the floor, holding his toddler daughter. The little girl was terrified of the baby tiger. She was screaming and kicking at the tiger. I think she made contact at one point. The employee never suggested the child be taken out of the cage, nor did the father have enough brains to cut the 'visit' short.
Now, repeat that scenario several times a day, in different cities, year round and tell me that these animals aren't being exploited and mistreated. It made me sick.
I am not a member of PETA. I agree that the organization is full of kooks. They were correct in their assessment of this 'show', however. " calumet
" This is another sad excuse for an “educational show”, where in reality these animals are being exploited for one reason only – monetary gain. These cute baby tiger and lion cubs will grow up to be 300-500 lb big cats and are destined for a life in captivity or worse, can end up in canned hunts or killed for the black market. There are more tigers in captivity in the United States then there are in the wild. Until laws are passed restricting private ownership and exploitation of these great cats, this type of animal cruelty will continue. For more information about “Big Cat Exhibition” visit: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/bigcatexhibition.htm " tigress62
Why would you ask such a question? "Are you with them 24/7"? Well, what you do think? NO! That is why I said hopefully, they get fed and are well taken care of. I do not associate with the animals mentioned in this article nor do I know the trainers and/or owners.
Think about this, "protectanimals", they MUST be PROPERLY TRAINED, because why else would this company allow people to GO INSIDE THE CAGES WITH THE ANIMALS? It would be insane to let in-experienced people into a cage with a wild animals, babies or not.
Here's something else to think about. If the animals weren't trained, don't you think the company would of done something about that? Obviously they are, because why would a company like this allow in-experienced people into a cage with a wild animal? I don't post on this blog to argue! " josh
" Josh.....they are pretty harmless at this age........they are far from trained, they are helpless and are used for money (it's a million dollar company), when they get too big they are not used anymore, they only breed them for their shows and once they get a certain age thats it for them.....'cause they can not be on the shows anymore..they sure would not let a child go in a cage with an adult tiger...this person who made the call to the city did it out of concern and I have to agree with her...this company just came in for the money and they will go to the next town....they made alot of money from the downriver residents, they are pros! " " Also, Josh, Those workers would NEVER get in a cage with an adult tiger or lion....Never....the workers are only trained to work the crowd for the money and once again they have duped the public....those poor animals....their fate will not be good...I'm a retired teacher and have been a advocate for animals for many many years and have also known about this G.W. Exotic Animal group for a long time, they are very sly and never let anyone know what town they are going to next. "protectanimals
" How can any reporter do a story about baby lions and tigers at a mall and not investigate how it was that they were bred into such a miserable life and what will happen with them in a couple of months when they are too big to pet. Any one with access to the Internet could easily find out that these precious animals will spend the rest of their lives in tiny, filthy cages, be shot for their pelts, cut up for meat or worse. If people don't know, it is because they choose to be ignorant, but that doesn't ease the suffering. More at Dying To Be Held http://www.bigcatrescue dot org/000news/0articlesbybcr/2008DyingToBeHeld dot htm "
" You are so right BIGCATRESCUE...the news herald was very partial with this article....they could have done more, they wanted this to be just another cute article...shame on them.....most of the article is centered around the people who put on the show...what do you think they are going to say..they are making a lot of money..they sugar coated the whole event..make phone calls and complain...I wonder if they will post any of these comments as a follow up in the paper...and phone calls need to go to the city hall and southland mall for allowing this......Why didn't the news herald reporter talk to the crowd about this animal show? They took one phone call and then went out and let the event employees make it look so great...and why wasn't the permit pulled prior to the show...how come that wasn't asked? How come this animal show wasn't advertised anywhere prior to coming? How come that wasn't asked? You know why...they don't want anyone to know they are coming to a local mall. How come the paper didn't asked "where do the animals go when they are grown, is it right to pull these babies away from the mother, how 'bout the baby kangaroo that should be in the mothers pouch not a purse hanging from a rack....the paper could have done BETTER asking questions.....maybe next time they will send a smarter reporter that thinks outside the box and doesn't just interview the event employees or take cute pictures of these babies....The paper should have had the pictures of reality of these tigers/lions stuck in cages or cut up for meat etc. Dear News Herald...take a good look at your cute little pictures you put in the newspapers of the baby tigers and I hope you always remember that cute little face will be shipped off when too big, sold for meat/hide/herbal and have a life of abuse before they are killed....next time news-herald TELL the whole story! " protectanimals
" PETA, DOESN'T THAT STAND FOR "PEOPLE EATING TASTY ANIMALS,
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, LOOKING AT ANIMALS IN CAGES IS ONE THING, BUT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO GO INSIDE THE CAGE WITH A WILD ANIMAL IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, PERHAPS EVERYONE SAW THE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR IN THE CAGE GETTING HER YEARBOOK PICTURE TAKEN IN MINNESOTA LAST YEAR, SHE WAS MALLED TO DEATH, (ITS OKAY THE TRAINER SAID, WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR!) WHAT ABOUT THE TELEVISION COMMERICAL CHIMP WHO RECENTLY ATTACKED BITING A WOMAN HANDS OFF, HER FACE, AND EYES, FORGOT ABOUT SIGFRIED & ROY, OR THE FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN CROCIDILE MAN? THIS WEEK ON THE NEWS A WOMAN FOUGHT OFF A COUGAR WHO ATTACKED HER SON ON A WALKING TRAIL, ANIMALS NEED TO BE SECURED IN A ZOO (TWO YOUNG MEN WERE KILLED RECENTLY AT SAN FRANCISCO ZOO WHEN A LION ESCAPED) LEAVE THEM IN THE WILD, & REMEMBER WHEN YOU VISIT YOU ARE PART OF THE FOOD CHAIN!!!!!!!!1 " hello
" Why would any parent let their child get in a cage with an animal?????This isn't like a visit to santa or the easter bunny. Bad Parenting! " why
" Who CARES to what group the woman who reported it belongs. You people are so busy shooting the messenger you've completely ignored the message.
You REALLY can't see anything wrong with taking babies away from their mothers? THREE WEEK old lion cubs don't send up a red flag with you? Three week old cubs (three MONTH for that matter) should be with their mother, and vice versa. SHAME on this greedy company for exploiting animals (AND taking advantage of people with thicker wallets than brains). " K
" The news herald is a great local paper and they do a good job however they got it wrong with this story. They need to tell the whole true story about this company and the future of these poor animals its like they just protected this company and forgot about the abuse to these animals. " freespeech
Tiger VS Lion
Anyone who has ever had a cat can see that these lions and tigers are performing out of fear. Ears back, eyes squinted and head shying away from the whip and trainer are obvious signs that they have been whipped and beaten in the face since they were cubs.
Did I understand this woman to say that birth control was NOT the answer to the overcrowding? This is absolutely the first step that all monies should be devoted to. Whether by a 15 minute neuter of all the males, or by separating males and females, it seems ludicrous to ask for money to build a new zoo when they aren't doing the very thing that would have prevented the problem in the first place. Everyone knows that cubs mean money (for a couple months), so why is ending the supply of cubs not their first priority?
Home Report to Feds Report to State Agency Tell the Press
These links will take you away from the 911 Animal Abuse site.