Tiger | Criminal Podcast | Forensic Files

[Sound of a truck running, then a turn signal clicking.] Phoebe Judge: Oh, here he is right here.
Do you see him? Lauren Spohrer: I don't see him. Phoebe Judge: Maybe he's in his pool. It looks like a hot tub. [Keys jingle, and the truck is turned off.]
[Upbeat, curious violin music.] Phoebe Judge: Driving through a certain part of Louisiana, away from Baton Rouge on I-10, you start to see signs advertising a live tiger,
tiger exhibit. And if you pull off, you find yourself at what's called the Tiger Truck Stop.
In some ways, it's exactly what you'd expect: semi-trucks idling in rows, gas pumps, and a convenience store. But set off to the side of the parking lot,
there's a large cage. And inside, a 550 pound Siberian Bengal tiger. He's lived at the gas
station for 16 years, and his name is Tony. [Footsteps.] Tony looks pretty hot. The cage is actually more than 3,000
square feet. It seemed big, but it's hard to know how big is big enough for a tiger. There are two
sets of iron bars, which separate Tony from the parking lot. There's a grassy area, a small pool,
and a covered part where he can get out of the sun. The whole thing, while maybe a bit sparse,
seemed clean and well maintained. [Reading off of a sign.] Tony eats 20 pounds of feline diet daily. The combination of horse meat, beef, and vitamins is shipped
here 2,000 pounds at a time. The man behind the Tiger Truck Stop is Michael Sandlin. Michael Sandlin:
My name is Michael Sandlin. I'm owner of the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana.
Phoebe Judge: We sat down with him in the Tiger Cafe, a 24-hour diner on the other side of the parking lot. Michael Sandlin: Tony is 16 years old now,
so he's an old man. They average about 20 years lifespan in captivity. But he is getting old,
he is a cat, so he sleeps a lot, average 16, 18 hours a day sleeping, especially after he eats. He acts just like your house cat at home, he's just a lot bigger.
Phoebe Judge: Today, Michael Sandlin only has Tony. But over the years, he's had more than a dozen tigers at the truck stop. He got started in the '80s,
but before him, his father and brother kept live tigers at truck stops in Texas and Arizona.
He thinks of the tiger as the mascot for the business — and also, of course, a draw.
I don't think I've ever been, I mean, I've been to zoos before, but I don't think I've actually
ever been as physically close to a tiger. I mean, you really are rather close to Tony.
Michael Sandlin: You're about 4 feet, if he's right there. We've had several people actually
sprayed a few times and soaked from head to toe. I actually have a couple of signs hanging
up that say, "Caution, tiger may spray." Phoebe Judge: That seems like the worst thing on earth. Michael Sandlin: I thought, well, if I ever
had room, maybe I'd have some "I got peed on at Tiger Truck Stop" T-shirts, or a Peed On Hall of Fame Wall, or something. Phoebe Judge: There are more tigers in captivity
in the United States than wild tigers in the entire world. The wild tiger population is
dwindling — most estimates put the number just over 3,000 — while the number of captive tigers in
this country alone is a lot higher. Some estimates are 5,000 and others as high as 10,000. But we
just don't know for sure, because they're living in unaccredited roadside zoos, and in people's
backyards, and in Tony's case, at a truck stop. Here in Louisiana, no one can seem to make up
their mind whether it's against the law to have a tiger at a truck stop. So for the last decade,
this 550 pound tiger has been in legal limbo, a living billboard for personal property rights on
one side and animal rights on the other. I'm Phoebe Judge, this is Criminal. [Curious, driving music.] What do you
say to those that have said, wait a second, this is an animal, this is an animal that's
potentially endangered in the wild, they're not meant to be near trucks, or near gas fumes, and things like that, that's not the right environment for a tiger?
Michael Sandlin: Well, I mean, is it a right environment for people? It's really what they
get used to. If you ever drive down the road and you see deer on the side of the interstate,
in the grass, or you look over in the trees and you see an eagle's nest, and I'm like, "Oh my God,
you better call PETA to come tell that eagle that it shouldn't have built its nest there next to the
interstate." So I don't buy the air quality, but they have a point about the noise. But say you
have a cuckoo clock in your home and it goes off every hour, and at first it bothered you,
but you don't even notice it anymore, but somebody comes and visit, and it drives them up the wall.
You know, it's what you get used to. And Tony has one-on-one attention, he has the best food that money can buy, that most zoos and sanctuaries can't afford.
He's got excellent veterinary care, and he's loved. And if he was being abused,
he certainly still wouldn't be alive at 16 years of age. And of course, we're hoping to
get several more years of enjoyment from him. Jeff Dorson: Well, Tony's been around a long time
in our consciousness and physically. A lot of us have known about Tony for 15-plus years. I
visited Tony many times. I actually delivered him toys and treats and bones from time to time.
Phoebe Judge: This is Jeff Dorson, executive director of the Humane Society of Louisiana.
Do you have favorite animals? Jeff Dorson: [Laughing.] No, I like them all. Give me a penguin or a baby elephant or an ostrich, and it's like I'm in heaven.
Phoebe Judge: We met with him at his house on the outskirts of New Orleans. We knew it was his house
because of the gigantic bags of dog food piled out front. And once we got inside, he tried to put the
dogs away, but they kept escaping. [Sound of dogs barking.] Jeff Dorson: I have three of them. They're all rescues. They're all kind of left behind.
Nobody wanted them, but I did. And I have a cat. There's Willie, and he's coming up to
say hi. I have a cat named Julia. I have a pit bull that's just a bowl of butter. And
I have another little dog whose name is Monkey. Phoebe Judge: Jeff Dorson, along with many animal
rights activists all over the country, want to get Tony out of that truck stop and sent to an animal sanctuary where he can live out the rest of his days.
Jeff Dorson: I've met with Mr. Sandlin, I've tried to see if there's any common ground, if
there's any way to negotiate, and there wasn't. Phoebe Judge: He said to me that it would be cruel
to take Tony away from him to bring him to one of the refuges because Tony has been with him since
he was a cub, and that Tony would be sad, and it would be upsetting for Tony to be removed from
what he knows. What do you think about that? Jeff Dorson: I have a whole different perspective.
Here's mine: species love to be with their own species. Who does Tony have? Michael Sandlin isn't a Bengal tiger, so who's he kidding?
[Bass music.] Phoebe Judge: In 2006, Jeff Dorson and his fellow animal rights activists got a break. All of a sudden, the state of Louisiana
made it a crime to possess, buy, or sell a tiger. Not only tigers, but also polar bears
and any "wild quadrupeds, big exotic cats, or non-human primates." The state said no random
person can have a pet tiger. Colleges, zoos, research centers are okay, but no one else.
Part of their argument was public safety. Michael Sandlin: You're more likely to be
attacked by a shopping cart or a vending machine in the Walmart parking lot than you
are of ever being attacked by a tiger or a monkey walking down the road in Louisiana. I'm sorry,
I don't see this as a public safety issue. Phoebe Judge: The law also states that possession
of exotic animals is detrimental to their welfare and may have negative impacts on the recovery of
some threatened and endangered species. Michael Sandlin: Exotic animal owners were
made criminals overnight and were treated like criminals. It's just actually tyranny
by our own government. Phoebe Judge: Michael Sandlin was furious, which is kind of odd because he actually got off better than a
lot of other exotic pet owners in the state. He was grandfathered in and issued a permit. Tony
could stay, at least for a little while. When animal rights activists got word that
Louisiana's new law somehow wouldn't apply to Sandlin, and that Tony the tiger would continue
living in a cage at a gas station off of I-10, an organization called the Animal
Legal Defense Fund sued the state of Louisiana. Carney Anne Nasser: So under the law, animals are
not considered anything more than property. And as such, there are very few laws that provide animals
with any sort of meaningful legal protection. Phoebe Judge: This is Carney Anne Nasser,
senior council for wildlife and regulatory affairs for the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Carney Anne Nasser: And
we have to get creative to try to ensure that they're not treated like a chair,
or a table, or a car, because we know that it's ridiculous to suggest that complex animals are
no more than just a piece of inanimate property. I think any of us who have a dog or a cat can tell
these animals have feelings, they have their own personalities, and certainly they should
be entitled to life free from harm, free from neglect, and provided with the ability to engage
in the full range of their natural behavior. Phoebe Judge: They did get creative. The Animal
Legal Defense Fund argued that Michael Sandlin could not legally keep Tony for three reasons.
First, because there's a local parish ordinance prohibiting it. Second, because Sandlin,
the individual man, doesn't own Tony, his corporation does. And finally, because no
one lived on the premises where Tony was kept. Michael Sandlin: And they actually won that case,
and the judge revoked our permit. Basically that was over. And at that point, I said, "Well,
we'll never get a state permit to keep Tony." Phoebe Judge: Here's where the story becomes
like one of those choose-your-own-adventure books. Instead of complying with the law,
Michael Sandlin said, "No thanks, I'll just figure out how to rewrite it." Michael Sandlin: I did hire some lobbyist. I had a documentary made that we titled How Not
to Kill a Tiger. And we made sure that every legislator got a copy of that documentary.
Phoebe Judge: This was in 2012. Sandlin sought the help of Republican State Senator Rick Ward,
and together they drafted a bill that would make an exception just for Tony. Somehow, it worked. In 2014, SB250 was signed into law by then-Governor Bobby Jindal.
Michael Sandlin: We prevailed because we told the truth. Carney Anne Nasser: I think that we can probably all think of a law that we'd like to exempt
ourselves from. And it's just not fair that he got special treatment, and it's not constitutional,
either. And that's separate and on top of the fact that there's just simply no reason to keep a tiger — an endangered species — in a gas station. I mean,
it defies logic, and it's completely outrageous. Phoebe Judge: The Animal Legal Defense Fund has
filed another lawsuit, alleging that it was a wild violation of the state's constitution
to exempt Michael Sandlin from having to follow the same rules as everyone else.
Carney Anne Nasser: Animal Legal Defense Fund's position is that it's an unconstitutional law, because our constitution in the state of Louisiana provides that no law shall
be made just for the benefit of one individual or entity, which is clearly what that exemption
for Mr. Sandlin is. Which is why we filed the lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of
that special law made just for Mr. Sandlin, and the litigation is still pending.
Michael Sandlin: I always felt like if they could come in and take that tiger away from the truck
stop, that they could come into anybody's home and anybody's business and take whatever they want,
and there's nothing we can do about it. I had the ability to stand up and fight, the resources to
stand up and fight, so I did. Phoebe Judge: All over the truck stop, Michael Sandlin has posted materials explaining that animal
rights activists want to take Tony away. And that next, they'll come for your pets,
and after that, the hamburger on your plate. He sells merchandise that says, "Animal rights activists taste like chicken." Michael Sandlin: That's a little joke. It's a
tiger licking his chops and says "animal rights activists taste like chicken," and that's kind
of our slogan. Those T-shirts sell like hotcakes, and that helps us pay for the food to feed Tony.
Yeah, it's been really tough. I mean, I've even had the FBI contact me on several occasions and
tell me to watch my back, that they've intercepted phone calls, and text messages,
and so forth, that they're going to take me out and that sort of thing. So, there's some crazy people in this world. Phoebe Judge: At first, we didn't understand why
Michael Sandlin would still be fighting so hard. It seems like he's gotten everything he wanted.
But here's the thing. Apparently, this special law allowing him to keep Tony applies only to Tony.
So when he dies, that's the end of the Tiger Truck Stop, or at least the tiger part of it. Michael Sandlin: I would not be able to get
another tiger. We would have to close the exhibit down or maybe put in some other animals that are
not banned here in the state of Louisiana. And if you'd asked me 10, 20 years ago that this
could ever happen in the state of Louisiana, the Sportsman's Paradise, I'd have said you
were crazy. But apparently the animal rights activists have been busy lobbying and hard
at work, and we were just blindsided. Phoebe Judge: Do you think that business here — obviously you're well established. But the Tiger Truck Stop, I mean, you drive
up and down I-10, there's a tiger, and it's called the Tiger Truck Stop. I mean,
if there's no tiger, are you worried about potential business, losing potential business?
Michael Sandlin: I am. I mean, the tigers are certainly a draw. And that was the purpose of the tiger exhibit to begin with, and the animal rights activists
like to accuse me of that. But I have no problem admitting that, that the tigers were here as an
attraction. But after 25 years, when all of this started happening with the animal rights lawsuits
and everything, after 25 years of taking care of these animals and having 13 cubs
born here at the truck stop, and wiping their butts, and feeding them, and raising them,
it means a lot more to me than that now. It's really my life's work, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Phoebe Judge: Sandlin estimates he spent half a
million dollars in legal fees to keep Tony at the truck stop. And he's still going. He's filed a
lawsuit of his own against the state of Louisiana, alleging that it's discriminatory to prohibit him
or anyone from buying a tiger. And while lawyers and lawmakers argue and write and rewrite laws,
defining what is and is not okay to do with animals, Tony is just there in his cage,
gigantic and sleeping, occasionally opening his eyes to look at whoever's come over to see him
after they finish getting gas. [Jaunty string music.] Criminal is produced by Lauren
Spohrer and me. Audio mix by Rob Byers. Special thanks to Alice Wilder. Julienne
Alexander makes original illustrations for each episode of Criminal. You can see them at thisiscriminal.com. Criminal is recorded in the studios of
North Carolina Public Radio, WUNC. We're a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX,
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platform to Radiotopia. Radiotopia from PRX is supported by the Knight Foundation and Mailchimp,
celebrating creativity, chaos, and teamwork. I'm Phoebe Judge. This is Criminal
Jingle: Radiotopia. From PRX.

There are more tigers in captivity in America than wild tigers in the entire world. The exact number of captive tigers in this country isn’t known, because many of them live in people’s backyards or unaccredited zoos, and the legality of their ownership varies widely by state and even by circumstance. We travelled to Louisiana to see a 550-pound Siberian-Bengal tiger who lives at a truck stop. The owner, Michael Sandlin, has fought very hard to persuade Louisiana lawmakers he’s not a criminal. But animal rights activists and organizations, like the Humane Society and the Animal Legal Defense Fund, disagree.

See photos, and learn more about Michael Sandlin’s effort to keep Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop here: http://www.tigertruckstop.com/. Learn more about the Animal Legal Defense Fund‘s campaign to re-home Tony here: http://aldf.org/cases-campaigns/features/tony-the-truck-stop-tiger/

Music in this episode: “Balti” by Blue Dot Sessions “The Summit” by Blue Dot Sessions “Sand Reverie” by Blue Dot Sessions “Steadfast” by Blue Dot Sessions “The Colors” by Podington Bear “On the Streets” by Daniel James Dolby

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Brief Summary

Tony the tiger's life at a Louisiana truck stop sparks legal battles over animal rights and captivity.

Key points

Tony the Tiger's Life at a Truck Stop. Meet Tony, a 550-pound tiger living at the Tiger Truck Stop for 16 years.
The Legal Battle Over Tony. Michael Sandlin fights to keep Tony at the truck stop amidst legal challenges.
A Special Law for Tony. A law was passed allowing Michael Sandlin to keep Tony, sparking controversy.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

You're more likely to be attacked by a shopping cart than a tiger.

Michael Sandlin on public safety concerns regarding tigers.

8:57WatchNov 17, 2022

Tension

60/ 100Some tension

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