Three lions confiscated from 'Tiger King' star Jeff Lowe's shuttered Oklahoma zoo
Three lions have been confiscated from "Tiger King" personality Jeff Lowe's shuttered Oklahoma zoo.
PETA spokesperson David Perle confirmed to USA TODAY that a court order authorized the seizure of three big cats from Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, the roadside zoo once owned by Joseph "Joe Exotic" Maldonado-Passage and made famous on Netflix’s hit docuseries "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness."
Lowe, who took ownership of the G.W. Zoo in 2016, closed down the park in August following numerous citations for failing to provide proper veterinary care for his animals.
In June, the U.S. Department of Agriculture abruptly stopped an inspection to seek immediate veterinary care for an ill lion cub named Nala, one of the big cats that was eventually confiscated, according to PETA. The USDA suspended Lowe's federal zookeeper license as a result.
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PETA said Nala and two other rescued lions now reside at The Wild Animal Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization in Colorado that rehabilitates and cares for ill-treated animals.
The cats were provided to Lowe by his former business partner and "Tiger King" co-star Tim Stark, the subject of PETA's Endangered Species Act lawsuit. Lowe is listed as a co-defendant in the lawsuit.
"PETA wants to end the G.W. Park's years of tormenting animals," said Brittany Peet, the PETA Foundation's deputy general counsel for captive animal law enforcement, said in a statement. "Avoiding this lawsuit is as simple as letting PETA find new homes for these animals at reputable sanctuaries — and agreeing never to own, exhibit, or have any other contact with ESA-protected animals again."
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Tiger King' star Jeff Lowe has lions confiscated from shuttered zoo
