Jeff Lowe's trouble with the federal government isn't over yet. Authorities removed 68 big cats and a jaguar from Lowe's Tiger King Park in Thackerville, Oklahoma, the Department of Justice announced on Thursday.
Forty-six tigers, 7 lions, 15 lion-tiger hybrids, and 1 jaguar were recently seized after inspectors with the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that Lowe failed to adequately care for the animals in their three visits to the park since December.
Inspectors found that some of the big cats were underweight, had worms, or their paw pads were irrigated from being in housed in "wet, abrasive environments," according to a search warrant.
Jeff and his wife Lauren also failed to follow a court order to hire a qualified veterinarian to care for the big cats, according to the DOJ.
“This seizure should send a clear message that the Justice Department takes alleged harm to captive-bred animals protected under the Endangered Species Act very seriously,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jean E. Williams of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
This is the second time in a month that authorities removed animals from Tiger King Park. USDA agents took six of eight tiger hybrids from the park on May 6. During that time, the Lowes told the agents that they would kill them and also threatened their families.
"The statement was especially intimidating because their former Tiger King business partner is serving a prison sentence for hiring a hit man to assassinate a business rival in another state," according to the search warrant, which referenced convicted felon Joe Exotic.
All of the seized animals will go to big cat rescues.
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