Time to stand up for Tony the tiger – Rant

Throughout the years, there has been no big cat abuse issue we have received more complaints from the public about than the tiger kept on public display at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, La.

In November, Big Cat Rescue contacted owner Michael Sandlin and offered to let him send Tony here and let him be perceived as a hero for the cat. He never responded to any of our letters.

Sky Williamson discovered Iberville Parish has had a ban on wild animal displays on its books since 1993. We have been trying to get the parish council to enforce the law, and to date we have generated more than 17,000 e-mails to the council from supporters.

How can Sandlin care about a tiger when he places him on concrete? How can he care about the tiger when it’s constantly pacing, which shows the tiger is stressed?

How can he care about the tiger when he has the tiger living at a truck stop smelling fumes 24/7?

The Baton Rouge community needs to do the right thing for the animal and be his voice.

Gov. Bobby Jindal acknowledges the state has an image problem.

What people can do to help is continue to complain to the governor and to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department so they do not issue a license for the cat to remain.

I believe they still have plenty of reasons to deny the license, based upon expert testimony that a truck stop is no place for a tiger. Those experts include veterinarians and people who are in the business of caring for tigers who wrote letters to the council, but who were ignored.

People can also complain to ConocoPhillips about the abuse of a tiger at one of their stations. They say it isn’t their problem, but if enough people show them how negatively it reflects on their brand, you can bet things will change.

It’s an amazing sight when you see Big Cat Rescue save a cat that lived on concrete all its life. When the cat touches grass for the first time it brings tears to your eyes to see the cat come back to life and splash in the water like a little kitten.

Big Cat Rescue is a peaceful place where the air is clean, and where the animals live among trees and on grass.

For more information, visit bigcatrescue.org.

Ms. Monroe is a volunteer with Florida-based Big Cat Rescue, which is fighting to rescue Tony the tiger, a longtime roadside attraction in a concrete-floored cage at Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete. Monroe lives in Pinellas Park, Fla.