June 4, 2013
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Tiger Truck Stop
While driving through Louisiana yesterday, we stopped for gas. Being in LSU territory, I didn't really think much about the name of this gas station/truck stop - I just thought it was a name. Not that a literal tiger would be living at this gas station on the side of this Louisiana interstate. We drove past his cage. I didn't have the heart to look for him, as he must have been inside his wooden enclosure in the heat of the Louisiana afternoon sun.
My feelings, my instincts, were reviled at this. My kids asked to go see the tiger, I would not let them. How could I, when the very air felt wrong to me? Everywhere, there were, "Save our tiger" petitions. Because state wildlife conservation groups have evidently been working on taking the tiger away.
It made me nauseated. It felt wrong. I'm still bothered by it, a day later. I googled the truck stop, even on the road again right now.
http://www.tigertruckstop.com/
And because I'm on the road and can't embed well etc, you can click the link. Tell me what you think?Does Tony the tiger need to be rescued from the truck stop? Or is it a harmless interstate landmark and family pet?
Comments (14)
Sorry the link isn't clickable... On the road, limited in my blogabilities.
Click here <---
@Donkey_Guy_10 - Thank you for linking it, Donkey!
And hi, from Alabama now.
@PrincessPowers - Hi!
Hm, I'm not sure. I wouldn't want to put a tiger that has been kept as (basically) a pet for his entire life to be put out in the wild, and his area looks bigger and better than what a lot of zoos have. Still, I don't like to see him living alone in a cage. It's so sad.
I would say the best place for him would be a really good zoo, with a more realistic and bigger living area. And... you know, he probably *would* be fine in the wild. How many natural predators do tigers have? I guarantee he still has all of his carnivorous/hunter instincts. I'm thinking that domesticated dogs retain most of their prey drive... tigers really aren't domesticated at all.
I am torn when these issues come up as someone who has enjoyed caring for and raising a few exotic pets. On the one hand I feel sad for the animal because I don't think that is the ideal situation, but I also feel for the owners if they love their pet at all. Some animals just shouldn't be pets though, and I think tigers are one of them.
@WaitingToShrug - In real life, from what I saw, I didn't feel his enclosure was that big. It was cement and wood. I think that bothered me, too. Nothing alive but him. No grass. No trees. I'm sure he's constantly breathing car and gas fumes both from the station itself and from the interstate.
My soul was/still is bothered. That alone was my deciding factor. I'm sure others have another criteria.
@thegunslingergirl - I feel like, if they love him, and I don't really doubt that, they would want him to have more. If I couldn't give my dogs a suitable home anymore, though they are my family, I'd find a place that could. And would visit. All the time. Well being is more important than feelings. I think.
@thegunslingergirl - I second that. Some animals aren't supposed to be pets. I feel way too much respect for something that powerful to want to cripple it into a life it's not meant to live. I feel that way about whales, lions, wolves, gorillas... etc.
have been to that verry place on numerous occasions, I've talked with the owner about the cat, who has been born and raised incaptivity it's entire life and was in fact rescued from a even more horrific place. I'd dare say it probably eats a better diet than 80% of the state of Louisiana.
btw, they are very regulated about how and what they can do to critters like these, I feel worse for circus animals
@Angry_Infidel - The site spoke of his diet as well. And I don't doubt that he is well fed. But food is not the only need for a thriving life. You can make a man fat in prison. He'd still rather be hungry and free.
Regulated... And the state is working to remove the tiger. Yeah.
It's my opinion that this animal needs to be living on land. Not on the street as a glorified advertisement for their business. Let's call it like it is.
They may love him. But losing his presence where he is hurts their pocket. They could find a more suitable environment for Tony and love him just the same. But won't. Ask yourself why. $$$
I didn't watch the videos or anything, but I feel like exotic animals don't belong in cages as pets. I think he would do well in a zoo that has everything he needs with large areas to roam.
I just watched the video. It's very clear that Tony is a big draw for the truck stop. They mention how anybody can see an alligator, but you can say you saw the tiger. He is what brings people there... to watch him, take pictures of him, say they were there, etc. So there's really no way anyone can claim that their interest in him remaining there has nothing to do with money. You can't separate the two. And I think you make a really good point about food not being the only thing that defines a thriving life. Tigers are meant to be with other tigers, not people. He's in a cage because it would be dangerous to let a tiger roam free among a population. And I seriously doubt that if he was taken to a zoo or wildlife preserve that he'd be unable to adapt just because he was raised in captivity. I don't believe an animals instincts are lost because of their environment. He would know inherently how to feed himself.
Okay, off my soapbox. I hope things are going well with the trip.
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