Court of Appeals upholds ruling on Grosse Tete truck stop tiger

BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Court of Appeal upheld a lower court ruling in the ongoing case to protect Tony, the Siberian-Bengal tiger confined at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete.

In 2010, the national nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund sued the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for unlawfully issuing owner Michael Sandlin a permit to keep and exhibit Tony.

ALDF was joined in that suit by several Louisiana taxpayers as co-plaintiffs, including Warren Triche, the state representative who authored the Louisiana state law banning private ownership of tigers.

In November 2011, Judge Michael Caldwell sided with ALDF and the taxpayers, prohibiting the agency from issuing future permits to Sandlin. The decision was appealed. 

“For years now, the world has been watching the plight of poor Tony and ALDF’s attempts to assure him the living conditions he so richly deserves by law,” said Stephen Wells, ALDF executive director. “We are delighted the court has brought justice in Tony’s case and upheld our victory.”