CHARLESTOWN, Ind. (WDRB) -- Animal advocates, including the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), are claiming victory on behalf of more than 100 zoo animals after a controversial roadside zoo in southern Indiana was dissolved by its board of directors last week.
One of those advocates is Pat Craig, executive director of the Wild Animal Sanctuary outside Denver, who has a staff to help care for carnivores like big cats and bears.
“Currently, we have over 600 animals, so we feed over 80,000 pounds of food a week," Craig said.
Nineteen of his newest residents are a collection of lions, tigers and bears from Wildlife in Need, a now-closed roadside zoo in Charlestown. The Colorado-based sanctuary is just one new home of the zoo's animals.
According to PETA, the Indianapolis Zoo is placing many of the smaller animals at better facilities across the country. Some of the big cats were transferred to an Arkansas sanctuary, and the rest to Wild Animal Sanctuary.
“The animals that came here loved it. I mean, once they were released into the habitats, you know, they have all sorts of hills and ponds and structures they can go on," Craig said. “Most of the animals we rescue, including a lot of the ones from Wildlife in Need, had issues they needed addressed and had gone unchecked for quite some time.”
Indiana officials said about $50,000 worth of missing animals from Wildlife in Need were found in the back of a truck parked on a neighbor's property. The animals were left without food, water or ventilation, according to the release. Image courtesy Indiana Attorney General's office. Sept. 18, 2020
Craig said his sanctuary is quite a contrast from where the 17 lions and tigers and two bears came from. Over the course of several years, Wildlife in Need grabbed the attention and concern of animal advocates for its practice of declawing tiger cubs for playtimes with patrons, federal investigators' dozens of allegations of abuse and neglect and the zoo's tough-talking owner, Tim Stark.
Since the beginning of 2020, Stark lost his USDA license to exhibit warm-blooded animals, like tigers and lions. In September, the zoo's animals were transferred to new homes after dual challenges in federal court and one by Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill.
His suit, filed in February on behalf of the State of Indiana, profiles a history of abuse at Wildlife in Need. Hill accused Stark of misusing money to pay his property taxes and using money from the CARES Act — which was loaned to businesses struggling during the coronavirus pandemic — to pay his credit card bills. Hill is also accusing Stark of misusing corporate money from the zoo in the hopes of opening another zoo in Oklahoma with one of the stars from the Netflix docuseries "Tiger King."
Stark is not facing any criminal charges connected to the financial issues raised by the state. He was arrested Oct. 8 on felony warrants in upstate New York after being on the run for two weeks.
Tim Stark (Clark County Jail booking photo)
PETA, meanwhile, focused its efforts on challenging Stark's declawing of tiger cubs. In 2018, a federal judge wrote declawing an exotic cat is a violation of the Endangered Species Act.
"PETA has been fighting to rescue the animals at Wildlife in Need for more than three years now," said Brittany Peet, the deputy general counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement at PETA. "The work is finally coming to fruition."
Peet, who visited the sanctuary outside Denver last week, said Stark's former animals now have access to nutritious food and frequent veterinary care.
"These animals have, in just the couple of months that they've been in sanctuary, they've received more veterinary care than they ever did at Wildlife in Need and under Tim Stark's care, and they are finally able to thrive," Peet said.
Wildlife in Need property in Charlestown, Indiana. Sept. 15, 2020
With the animals now in the care of new facilities or sanctuaries, and Wildlife in Need dissolved and closed, Peet and PETA feel the hard fight was worth it.
"For all intents are purposes, Tim Stark is out of the animal business for good," she said.
On Monday afternoon, Stark declined an interview request. He did concede that the southern Indiana zoo is now done but said the nation hasn't heard the last from him.
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