If you have driven between Baton Rouge and Lafayette, odds are you have seen signs for a live tiger exhibit at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete. For 22 years the exhibit has housed numerous tigers. 13 cubs have been born at the family-owned petrol station. State District Judge Mike Caldwell recently ruled the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries revoke Tiger Truck Stop's permit to keep Tony the Tiger at the petrol station.
Pam Blanchard has worked at the truck stop for 11 years and says, "they are trying to steal our tiger, not just his, ours and that's not right."

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Swede White/WRKF

The ruling came after a motion filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund claiming that LDWF violated its own rules by offering Sandlin an exemption to keep the tiger at the truck stop. Louisiana law states that tigers have to be owned by an individual. Sandlin's corporation is listed on the permit.

Lisa Franzetta with the animal activist group explains their complaint.

"Our argument was that the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries was failing to follow the procedures that they themselves set."

Franzetta also says the ALDF had testimony from veterinarians and experts saying the tiger's living conditions were unacceptable and something must be done soon.

Owner of the Tiger Truck Stop Mike Sandlin plans to appeal. He believes Tony should stay put adding, "it's a joke. ALDF is nothing but domestic terrorists in three-piece suits and their playground is the courtrooms or America and they're terrorizing exotic animal owners - thousands of exotic animal owners - all over this country."

Tony lives about 50 yards from the gas pumps. The 3,600 square foot area is surrounded by two layers of chain link fence. It has a grassy lawn and an air conditioned den. It also has a water tank for Tony to play in. Today though, Tony sleeps.

Swede White/WRKF Tony the tiger's habitat.

Landen Swearengin and his friends traveling from Longview Texas to New Orleans always stop at Tiger Truck Stop. Although he enjoys the spectacle, "it's just one tiger so and there's not a lot of room to run around and everything. We're not really against it as much as we like to see the tiger. It probably should be somewhere else."

Danielle Morgan is traveling with Swearengin. She believes Tony nor any tiger should be caged.

"I think it's really too small and the tiger should be let free, and if I had a way to let it free I'd let it free right now. He's depressed. He sleeps all the time."

Morgan says she has been to the truck stop 10 times and the tiger is asleep every time she visits.

Lisa Landry visits the truck stop frequently. She sees things differently and says, "I mean it's always very clean - never smells, never stinks. You never see it filthy. It seems to be well fed."

Cars continue to stop by and visitors get out of their vehicles to take pictures and attempt to lure the tiger out of a wooden box that it sleeps in.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has offered to help move Tony to an accredited facility including paying associated costs. Delicianna Winders says the facility Mike Sandlin wants to move Tony to is problematic.

"GW Exotics is another facility we have monitored for many years. We conducted an undercover investigation there and found rampant signs of abuse including two healthy tigers who were killed and had their teeth cut out to give as gifts."

Mike Sandlin is from Oklahoma where GW Exotics is located and says he feels as if he is sending Tony home. He says it should be his choice where he sends Tony and that allegations leading to GW Exotics and its owner known as Joe Exotic paying $10,000 in fines and having his license revoked are not true.

"You know Joe has been attacked in every way that you can imagine from everything to being called an animal abuser. I know he loves and cares for his animals."

Swede White/WRKF Tony the tiger's sleeping area.

Paul Sandlin is owner Mike's brother and Tony's caretaker. He cleans the habitat and feeds the animal 20 pounds of meat daily. He believes the truck stop is being discriminated against because Mike Sandlin says he has the same type of exotic animal permit that Louisiana State University does to house Mike VI. He says he wouldn't be surprised if PETA took action against LSU on behalf of Mike VI.

Winders of PETA says, "we're opposed to the use of all animals for human entertainment. We do try and target our resources at the most egregious situations like Tony's situation, but that's not to say that we'd never try to advocate on behalf of Mike."

Winders says her organization could take a look at Mike VI housed at LSU, but her organization has focused on Tiger Truck Stop for over 15 years.

ALDF's Franzetta says although she has never seen Mike the Tiger's habitat at LSU, "we think tigers thrive in the wild where they belong. It requires a pretty large and enriched habitat even at a sanctuary to begin to get the kind of conditions that are going to be sufficient."

Mike Sandlin says beyond appealing he is filing a discrimination suit against the state for an undisclosed amount of money based on LSU being allowed to keep its permit.

Meanwhile Tony remains at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete pending legal decisions.