Judit and Juergen Nerger illegally left massive cats in cramped, barren crates and ditched six tigers at a roadside zoo in Sarasota, Florida, all after their circus present enterprise failed. They’d beforehand saved tigers in Illinois, however by carting the animals to Florida and failing to alert the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA), the couple evaded federal inspections for years. So, to forestall them from sneaking round and harming animals once more, PETA’s urging the USDA to terminate their federal Animal Welfare Act license.
“The tigers had been being saved in journey cages roughly 7.5′ x 7.5′ in space,” a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee report famous.
In PETA’s letter to the company, we level to a latest report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee indicating that the Nergers lacked authorization to maintain tigers in Florida, but they unlawfully saved six tigers at Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary, the place Juergen Nerger instructed the roadside zoo proprietor “that he meant to go away the nation and go away his cats behind.” Whereas at Large Cat Habitat, 5 tigers had been saved in cramped crates, and the Nergers agreed to relinquish the tigers to the state. The roadside zoo organized for them to be shipped off to Tennessee-based Tiger Haven—a disreputable facility the place an 18-year-old practically misplaced her arm throughout a recent tiger attack.
We estimate that there are fewer than 10 exhibitors routinely displaying massive cats in circuses and festivals within the U.S.—a transparent signal that the general public has little interest in merciless, outdated acts that exploit wild animals.
So whereas Judit and Juergen’s tiger present enterprise is already on the outs, there’s nonetheless one thing we will do to assist massive cats like these exploited and uncared for by the Nergers: By no means go to any animal “attraction,” take part in a cub photo op, or pay to work together with unique or wild animals. Let your family and friends know that purchasing tickets to such actions perpetuates cruelty …
… and click on beneath to take further action for tigers struggling in vacationer traps:
