June 9, 2011 4:06 pm ET
Katerina Lorenzatos Makris
Tony the truck stop tiger
Credits: Courtesy Tiger Truck Stop
While the tussle over Tony the tiger continues, with Animal Legal Defense Fund asking that the animal be removed from Tiger Truck Stop before the December date that the judge has already set, and the truck stop’s owner filing motions that would give him a say in the matter, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), which for ten years allowed Tony to be kept as a roadside attraction off Interstate 10, has been fielding public comment about its decisions.
Department press secretary Bo Boehringer provided the following replies to emailed questions from Animal Policy Examiner.
APE: What's LDWF's reaction to the judge's ruling that Tiger Truck Stop’s permit to keep Tony not be renewed after it expires in December?
BOEHRINGER: The department intends to comply with the judge’s ruling.
APE: Who is responsible for deciding where Tony goes when the permit expires in December?
BOEHRINGER: The owner will be required to move Tony out of the state. The department will provide assistance in this process, if assistance is requested.
APE: Does the department have any info yet on where Tony might go in December?
BOEHRINGER: No.
APE: Is LDWF currently monitoring Tony's health and safety? How often does LDWF visit Tony's Truck Stop?
BOEHRINGER: The department makes regular, unannounced visits to the site to verfiy that permit criteria continue to be adhered to. The tiger is seen annually by a veterinarian as required by the department’s regulations.
APE: What's LDWF's reaction to the fact that Animal Legal Defense Fund is circulating a petition urging LDWF to revoke Tiger Truck Stop's current permit to keep Tony?
BOEHRINGER: It is certainly within their rights to do so.
APE: Will signatures on the petition have any effect on LDWF's decision in the matter?
BOEHRINGER: The department intends to comply with the judge’s ruling.
APE: What is the likelihood that LDWF would revoke the truck stop's current permit?
BOEHRINGER: The department intends to comply with the judge’s ruling.
APE: How much public input/reaction is LDWF receiving about the Tony matter?
BOEHRINGER: The Department receives e-mails and U.S. Mail concerning Tony on a regular basis.
APE: Is most of the public input opposed to or in favor of LDWF revoking the truck stop's current permit to keep Tony?
BOEHRINGER: Public input favors revocation.
To add your input contact Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.