STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. — A Missouri tiger sanctuary is now housing a male tiger that previously lived at the infamous Tiger King Park made famous from the hit Netflix documentary.
Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary — Missouri’s only Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries Verified big cat sanctuary — worked with several other accredited sanctuaries and the U.S. Department of Justice last week to carry out a large-scale rescue of endangered big cats at the park.
In total, 69 big cats including lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and a jaguar were removed from Jeff and Lauren Lowe’s facility due to “ongoing Endangered Species Act violations.” During a hearing a few weeks ago, a judge found the couple in contempt for failing to comply with court orders to employ a qualified veterinarian and establish a program of veterinary care for the animals.
The tiger at Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary is currently under quarantine while being monitored and treated by the staff and veterinary team.
“We were honored to assist with this important animal rescue operation,” said John Madigan, Operations Manager at Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary. “We are thankful for the effort of all the reputable sanctuaries and federal agencies involved to ensure these big cats were safely removed and relocated to reputable sanctuaries, like ours, where they will receive proper veterinary care, diet, shelter, enrichment and habitats while the court decides what's next."
The Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary is a non-profit big cat rescue and educational facility that provides permanent lifelong care for abused, neglected or unwanted big cats.