The tigers were surrendered under restrictions outlined in state legislation in Ohio introduced a couple years ago, according to LTB founder Bobbi Brink. SB 310 regulates the private ownership of exotic animals, which Brink said had gone unregulated in Ohio until recently.
The three exotic felines are being transported to The Shambala Preserve in Acton, where they will live out the remainder of their lives. Another tiger has already been dropped-off at a sanctuary in Nevada, Brink said.
Since 2012, the rescue team from the foothills east of San Diego has relocated more than 60 captive big cats and bears out of Ohio to sanctuaries across the U.S. — more than any other sanctuary or transporter, according to LTB.
“It takes a lot of coordination and the collaboration and cooperation of many to put together a rescue like this,” Brink said. “It takes all of us sanctuaries coming together to do the right thing for these animals, to really give them an opportunity for a new life.”
The rescue mission is the third in three consecutive months for the sanctuary.
LTB is the only accredited sanctuary in the country that has a fully self-contained animal transport hauler that has onboard first-aid for both animals and humans, an anesthesia machine, safety transport cages and other things needed to transport the big cats across state lines, Brink said.
Brink said there are five states where the sale and breeding of exotic animals is unregulated.
Exotic animal trading is the fourth largest international crime, behind human trafficking, according to Brink.
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