“Animal Rights Activists taste like chicken.”

Find out more at FreeTony.com

EYE OF THE TIGER
Readers of The Independent Weekly may recall our Feb. 4 cover story on the controversy surrounding the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete. That’s where owner Mike Sandlin keeps his “pet,” Tony, a 600-pound, 9-year-old Bengal-Siberian tiger in a cage about the size of the back end of an 18-wheeler. Always the proud scorn of animal rights activists, Sandlin recently introduced a new souvenir T-shirt. The Hanes cotton T costs $10 and features a large picture of Tony licking his chops above the slogan, “Animal Rights Activists taste like chicken.” Available only at the Tiger Truck Stop. — NS

http://www.theind.com/content/view/5201/42/

Links to Tony the TIGER

Interesting web links and information about Tony the Tiger.

Schnauzer vs Tiger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9k5QWVqSO4

URGENT- We Must Write to Maria Davidson Right Now
http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/1215076

Tony the Tiger Next Step
http://www.bigcatnews.blogspot.com/2009/07/tony-tiger-next-step.html

Save Tony from Michael Sandlin- Videos about Tony the tiger
http://tigertruckstop.wordpress.com/

Time to Let the Locals in on This
http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/1211882

Excellant video of Tony the Tiger's Habitat - or should we say PRISON -
http://www.care2.com/news/member/610796832/1170960

How will his life end?

Find out more at FreeTony.com

Dear Friends-

Will you please do me a huge favor? I have yet to learn or have had time to learn everything that Care2 has to offer (hopefully one day I will but I’m not computer savvy at all). So for those of you that know how to do it, when I send you things about Tony will you PLEASE post on the care2 news and where ever else you can post across the internet? I also ask that you please always forward to all of your care2 friends and maybe all your friends across the internet. We need as many people as possible to get involved. I find it hard to believe that only hundreds of us care about him and are willing to fight for him so we have got to spread the word. There are many links across the internet where information is available for people to learn of how horrible Tony’s life has been and the history of Michael Sandlin and Tiger Truck Stop.

Please don’t ever give up hope that’s all we have and we are all that he has. You guys have been a dream come true with all that you have done this far for Tony.

www.savetonythetiger.blogspot.com

www.freetony.com

Your Friend- Sky Williamson

Speak up for Tony the Tiger

http://www.postsouth.com/homepage/x737379895/Truck-stop-gets-parish-permit-to-keep-tiger

Please contact the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries c/o Maria Davidson at 2000 Quail Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70808 (225) 765-2800 and ask that they NOT issue a permit to the Truck Stop and that they send Tony the tiger to Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, FL. Stay up to date on this at FreeTony.com

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL  33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org


Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter:  Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway!  http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above.  You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Truck stop gets parish permit to keep tiger

---

By CRYSTAL CORKERN

OBLIVIOUS TO DEBATE...Tony, the Bengal tiger who is a roadside attraction at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, takes a nap as the debate about his future draws national and international attention on a petition website. The Iberville Parish Council will hold a public hearing on the tiger issue at 6 p.m. Tuesday on the second floor of the Courthouse.Chief Administrative Edward A. "Lucky" Songy Jr., who handled the permitting process, said the U. S. Department of Agriculture issued Sandlin a license last month, but the truck stop owner still has to get a third permit from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Tiger Truck Stop owner Michael Sandlin has cleared the second of three hurdles required for him to keep Tony the tiger as a roadside attraction, Parish President J. Mitchell Ourso Jr. announced Monday.

The parish government issued Sandlin a permit to keep the tiger.

"He met all the obligations the parish had for him," Ourso said.

Chief Administrative Edward A. "Lucky" Songy Jr., who handled the permitting process, said the U. S. Department of Agriculture issued Sandlin a license last month, but the truck stop owner still has to get a third permit from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries."If Wildlife and Fisheries says no, the tiger has to go," Songy said. "If they say yes, he stays."

Wildlife and Fisheries set off a battle over the tiger in December when it denied Sandlin a permit because of a parish ordinance against keeping wild, exotic or vicious animals and reptiles.

Sandlin went to court and won a temporary restraining order o stop the state agency from requiring him to move the tiger to an approved facility, but the case drew interest from animal rights activists who campaigned to have the tiger sent to a wildlife refuge in Florida or Tennessee. Tony drew statewide, national and even international attention.

The Iberville Parish Council voted in February to make an exception for Tony in the parish law, but Ourso vetoed the action and insisted on standards to assure the health and welfare of the tiger, and the protection of the public.

In March, the Parish Council passed an ordinance setting out the standards. It has taken until this month for Sandlin to meet all the requirements.

One sticking point was adequate insurance on the tiger in case of his escape, the parish president said. He said Sandlin's policy had covered the animal only on the truck stop premises.

Sandlin has kept tigers at the truck stop for some years, and has never had an escape.

Ourso said the owner has an escape plan in place, and all his employees have been trained in the use of weapons to deal with the tiger if necessary. The escape plan has been sent to the Office of Emergency Preparedness and local law enforcement agencies, he said.

Iberville Animal Control is conducting a weekly inspection at the truck stop to assure the tiger is well cared for, the parish president said.

The ordinance setting out the parish requirements for the truck stop tiger also says Tony will be the last cat allowed there.

You can comment here: 

http://www.postsouth.com/homepage/x737379895/Truck-stop-gets-parish-permit-to-keep-tiger

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL  33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org


Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter:  Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway!  http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above.  You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Louisiana FAILING Tony again.

From: "augustsky@netzero.net"
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:51:40 GMT
To: esongy@ibervilleparish.com,
JBurleigh@ibervilleparish.com
Subject: Urgent concerning Tony


Mr. Ourso,

Below is the letter that I received from Maria Davidson today concerning Michael Sandlin. It would seem that Sandlin has made no attempt at this point to get his state license which is required by the state and Iberville Parish. According to state law he must receive a license from them to keep Tony. The state law has been on the books since 2007, this is now 2009. How much longer are you going to allow him to play the laws down before you order that Tony be removed from Tiger Truck Stop? The revised ordinance on page 5 number 4 under J..... There was no need to change the ordinance if he still is going to get away with breaking the law. This is for the welfare of Tony and the safety of the community.

I ask again that you please step forward and do what is best for Tony and the community of Iberville Parish.

Sincerely,Sky Williamson

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

Subject: RE: QUESTIONS Remain -Tony the Tiger
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:34:55 -0500
From: "Davidson, Maria" <mdavidson@wlf.la.gov>
To:


Sky



The questions you raise are all still to be reviewed during the application process if and when Mr. Sandlin comes back to the department to initiate that process again. It would be premature for me to assume to know those answers without completing the process. I will not presume to address the questions you raise pertaining to the parish ordinance or permit.



Maria



Maria Davidson

Large Carnivore Program Manager

337-948-0255




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: augustsky@netzero.net [mailto:augustsky@netzero.net]
Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2009 3:42 PM
To: Davidson, Maria; Hendrick, Christina
Subject: QUESTIONS Remain -Tony the Tiger



Dear Mr. Robert Barham & Ms. Maria Davidson,

I was wondering if maybe one of you could answer some of these questions? There are people to include myself that care about what is going on with Tony and just want to help him.

Sincerely, Sky Williamson

www.freetony.com



QUESTIONS Remain

Jul 17, 2009

Focus:
Animal Welfare

Action Request:
Phone Call

Location:
United States


So how many people have actually read the laws about keeping tigers in Iberville Parish, Louisiana? They are pretty interesting. Upon reading them, one starts wondering a few things....



State law:

1. does sandlin have the insurance- 100,000. by a class A insurance company?

2. does the owner live on site? we know he does not, but state law requires it.

3. is there both a gun and a tranquilizer gun on the premises? easy to envision a rifle there, but do they have a trank gun?

4. is this tiger microchipped? he is supposed to be.

5. is the outer fence at least 5 feet from the cage? not according to recent measurements...



Parish law:

reiterates state law, plus a few more things...

1. they want the insurance to be 500,000. who is his insurance company--anyone?

2. is someone who is trained in the care, feeding, and escape plans, there 24 hours a day? this probably includes gun use, so who is there at three AM that can use a rifle? anyone?

3. is this tiger now allowed unfettered access to all areas of the entire enclosure at all times? he has been seen in the middle grassy area lately but are the other 3 of 4 cage sections open for him?



More questions:

- Now that he has a small horse tank crammed into his cage, one has to wonder why a larger tank was not placed into the grassy area instead. Since he is supposed to have permanent access to that area anyway, why not give him a more reasonable sized tank?

- Tony is supposed to have a regular veterinarian who does checkups and other care. Who is this vet, and what do the records say- if there are any? It is time for another exam, as Tony is emaciated. In domestic cats this can indicate worms, liver problems, and other maladies.

- Thanks to Google Analytics, we know that sandlin has viewed the Tony site twice, and someone in the Plaquemine courthouse read the page for over 14 minutes. Do they not have anything to say about it?

- Has sandlin obtained a permit, on or before April 19, 2009 from the parish? If so, what is the permit number, and who verified the stipulations needed to obtain it? If not, then why isn't the law being enforced? The Revised Ordinance says that he has 30 days to comply. It was approved on March 17 and enacted/entered on March 19. If he is not in compliance now, then it is too late.



Let's start asking the authorities these questions. It took them four months to release the revised ordinance; hopefully they will answer these questions sooner!



See ordinance and all contact info on this page: http://savetonythetiger.blogspot.com

James Platt

Poor Tony the Tiger

I found out today that Michael Sandlin HAS received his "parish" permit to keep Tony. Sandlin is now working on getting his Louisiana state license. We need to start writing letters to Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries.

Please send an email to

Maria Davidson mdavidson@wlf.louisiana.gov

&

Robert Barham Chendrick@wlf.louisiana.gov

Thank you to everyone for all that you do for Tony....

Sincerely, Sky Williamson