Tiger Creek agrees to become compliant with standards or lose endangered animals in lawsuit settlement
TYLER, Texas (KETK) – The Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary in Tyler has come to a settlement in an Endangered Species Act lawsuit brought against them by the Animal Legal Defense Fund in March of 2022.
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The settlement forces Tiger Creek, to make “significant changes to the facility and level of care being provided to the animals” in order for them to come in full compliance with the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s (AZA) standards with in two years.
According to the ALDF, an agreed upon neutral third party auditor will make visits to the sanctuary in the lead up to their two year deadline to become AZA compliant. Tiger Creek, who continues to claim the allegations against them are baseless, has also reportedly agreed to become AZA accredited within five years of the settlement’s execution.
If Tiger Creek fails to make the necessary changes required to become AZA compliant, all of their endangered and threatened animals will be transferred to the facilities of ALDF’s choosing, per their agreement.
The ALDF’s March 2022 lawsuit against the sanctuary alleged that they had harmed, harassed and killed several animals including nine lions and tigers between 2018 and when the lawsuit was filed. One animal Tiger Creek claimed to have had to medically euthanize was Bengali, the world’s oldest living tiger being held in captivity at the time.
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Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle ordered the cased dismissed on Thursday, so the agreement is executed and the ALDF said that Tiger Creek has agreed to immediately:
Not acquire any new endangered or threatened animals until it is compliant with AZA standards;
Not breed any endangered species;
Not allow human interactions with endangered or threatened species outside of that deemed necessary by an attending veterinarian;
Have an attending veterinarian with heightened training or an expertise in exotic animals;
Make adjustments to tiger housing as deemed necessary by the attending veterinarian; and
Provide ring-tailed lemurs with enrichment, nutrition, and veterinary care in compliance with the AZA standards.
“The changes that will go into action immediately will improve the lives of the animals significantly, and with the length of time litigation can take, this is the best-case scenario — with the most immediate effect — for the animals at Tiger Creek,” said Animal Legal Defense Fund Senior Staff Attorney Caitlin Foley. “The settlement provides provisions that the animals will be monitored regularly — and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums has much more vigorous standards than those enforced by the USDA.”
The ALDF claims that, Brian Werner, Tiger Creek founder and co-defendant in the case along with his daughter Emily Owens, reportedly agreed to not acquire any more endangered or threatened animals in the future.
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However, Tiger Creek executive director Emily Brooks has claimed that Werner and Owens didn’t agree to not acquire any more endangered or threatened animals like the ALDF claimed.
“Tiger Creek is pleased to report that ALDF agreed to a settlement instead of continuing to have to fight against what we have always contended were baseless allegations. Tiger Creek is pleased that this litigation is resolved, so that 100% of Tiger Creek’s focus can remain on providing excellent care to all of the animals residing at the sanctuary. We felt confident with this agreement, because we have always provided our animals with excellent care which we believe largely meets or exceeds AZA animal care guidelines. While the terms of the agreement were not filed with the court, we believe the Joint Stipulation of Dismissal with Prejudice, which was ordered today, provides for closure of the case. Also, while it appears to have been suggested that Brian Werner and Emily Owen have agreed not to acquire new ESA animals, that was not part of the agreement. Brian and Emily simply cannot acquire certain new animals because a law has been passed that now prohibits individuals who have not already registered with US FWS for possession of certain protected big cats from possessing them in the future.”
Emily Brooks, executive director, Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary
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