For $10, shoppers could snap a photo while cuddling with bear cubs, baby tigers and juvenile lions that were kept in cages in the mall corridor several times a year. (No Topsy's, though — everybody knows that wild animals hate buttered popcorn.)
The herd became mall rats thanks to self-described endangered animal sanctuary G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park of Wynnewood, Oklahoma. Owner Joe Schreibvogel, otherwise known as "Joe Exotic," claimed that the beasts were rescued from "tortured situations." Mr. Exotic's employees told shoppers that money collected from the midday magic show and the price visitors paid to get their pictures taken with the little furballs helped pay for the rehabilitation of the traumatized animals.
Yeah, well, maybe not so much.
In April, representatives from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent Metro North Marketing Director Robin Cumbo a video that claimed to document abuse from within G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park. The group had sent an undercover operative to the Oklahoma facility last year and alleged that it found baby tigers beaten with rifle butts, a lion left untreated after a tiger tore off part of its leg, and primates given lit cigarettes. And everybody knows that primates only smoke when they drink.
The video was backed up by a federal complaint that led to G.W. Exotic paying a $25,000 fine and agreeing to an 18-month probation starting in January 2006. In that case, federal regulators charged that G.W. Exotic employees verbally abused inspectors, housed animals in shacks made of concrete blocks and plywood, and stored food in a broken freezer spattered with blood and teeming with maggots. No word on whether the animals also had to eat at the mall food court.
Cumbo says she and the mall's general manager, Michael Chase, were shocked by PETA's information. Chase agreed to ban Joe Exotic and his traveling troupe of tortured pets.
Metro North is actually ahead of the pro-animal curve, PETA reports. The group has asked 200 malls to ban Joe Exotic's act, but only three have complied.
Schreibvogel hasn't taken kindly to PETA's crusade. His park's Web site features a number of run-on diatribes that accuse the animal-rights group of "helping to finance murder of innocent animals, arson of people's buildings, nudity, sex and drugs." (These messages share space on the site with a portrait of the goatee-sporting Schreibvogel clutching a tiger cub so close that it could rip out his earrings and nibble the long blond hair under his cowboy hat.) His poor grasp of punctuation, though, hasn't kept him from sending out his own appeal to Midwest malls in a letter mailed last week, which included this warning: "[PETA] want us all to become vegetarians and kill all the animals in cages."
As for Metro North's betrayal, Schreibvogel had only one thing to say when contacted by the Department of Burnt Ends.
"The only comment I have is that the manager is just ignorant for falling to PETA's crap, and I'm glad he [Chase] chose to elect to support an organization that thinks Timothy McVeigh is a hero instead of somebody who's saving animals," the indignant caretaker said.
Last week, Cumbo got another PETA package in the mail. This one included a plaque, recognizing Metro North as one of a dozen recipients of PETA's Compassionate Business Award.
Here's hoping she'll hang it right next to Orange Julius.
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What a bunch of BS. Obviously NO-ONE is listening to you Carole Baskin Drone. There is absolutely nothing wrong with socializing the animals, WHEN they are extinct this is the only way our future generations are going to be able to see them and socializing only makes it easier on the animals. Joe Exotic is an animal advocate and lover while CAROLE BASKIN is a murdering, low-life liar who made alot of money off the backs of abused animals that SHE abused and still does. SHE has changed her agenda so many times it's ridiculous, she ONLY stands for what will make her moiney at the time. Why dont you ask her how many big cats she has had herself and how many of them died from her ABUSE? Ask her how many of them she sold to whoever the hell wanted them and find out how many of those babies even survived past a couple weeks due to illness they had when she SOLD them. DO YOU GET IT??? SHE SOLD THEM!!!!!! JOE RESCUES AND SOCIALIZES THEM!!! CB, I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL AS THE HORRIBLE INHUMANE WITCH THAT YOU ARE!
Really, this is now coming up again, is this all you have on me is a stupid article from a stupid animal rights group, the only reason the mall caved is because PeTA got what they wanted and that was big press. here is a comment for you, Go F**** yourselves get some proof on federal documents I have ever abused an animal, and better yet, quit calling me an abuser, (that is a criminal act) and I have NEVER been charged with a Criminal Act........get a life, newpaper reports mean nothing. check out www.911animalabuse.org and then call me an exploiter.
Funny, how Jeff Kramer cant find any documented proof of any wrong doing, all he has is the words of PeTA and his boss Carole Baskin who to this day has killed 117 tigers and lions and other exotic cats, now you want a story lets guide you to the proof, documents and real staff comments, But remember this link is being passed around by Jeff Kramer, Caroles newest puppet. He works for the Black Widow of the Tiger industry, one husband dead and missing (tiger food more than likely) two has filed restraining orders on her, and the last one is just a whimp. check it all out here www.911animalabuse.org and http://bigcatrescuelies.blogsp... have a great day Jeffy
You're all idiots, how do you think they keep baby tigers in their show 365 days a year every year? They breed them in the so called santuary that is supposed to only house rescued animals. They are lying to everyone, playing on sympathies to dupe you out of your money - think, read, research - you don't need to listen to PETA, all you need to do is use your brain. The first thing I wondered when I saw this show..."how do they manage to ALWAYS have babies?" RED FLAG!!! and DUH!!!!
You're all idiots, how do you think they keep baby tigers in their show 365 days a year every year? They breed them in the so called santuary that is supposed to only house rescued animals. They are lying to everyone, playing on sympathies to dupe you out of your money - think, read, research - you don't need to listen to PETA, all you need to do is use your brain. The first thing I wondered when I saw this show..."how do they manage to ALWAYS have babies?" RED FLAG!!! and DUH!!!!
Thats a bunch of crap for sure. Joe and his animal friends are visiting us at the mall right now, and let me tell you, those animals are treated great. So what if they sit in cages for a while, everything but the tiger is babies anyways. All the staff play and socialize with the animals and you can tell they genuinely care about them. And by the way i just watched that tiger eat some chicken, so cool! And now hes taking a snooze.
Thats a bunch of crap for sure. Joe and his animal friends are visiting us at the mall right now, and let me tell you, those animals are treated great. So what if they sit in cages for a while, everything but the tiger is babies anyways. All the staff play and socialize with the animals and you can tell they genuinely care about them. And by the way i just watched that tiger eat some chicken, so cool! And now hes taking a snooze.
I dont think you were very fair about the article you wrote about Joe Exotic. When are people like you and the mall ever going to report the truth about PeTA and where it gives all of it money to terrorist? it is on their tax returns. I would think you would do your homework to concider the source before killing someones name or messing up a place weather it is bad or good that trys to help animals. Hats off to you Robin for just cutting animal funds even worse by not ever letting them come back. If anyone cared about the condition of a zoo or refuge they would help build it up or make it better instead of helping hinder it even more. Hope your award for backing a group who can condone killing 168 people looks great next to orange julious.
John
I dont think you were very fair about the article you wrote about Joe Exotic. When are people like you and the mall ever going to report the truth about PeTA and where it gives all of it money to terrorist? it is on their tax returns. I would think you would do your homework to concider the source before killing someones name or messing up a place weather it is bad or good that trys to help animals. Hats off to you Robin for just cutting animal funds even worse by not ever letting them come back. If anyone cared about the condition of a zoo or refuge they would help build it up or make it better instead of helping hinder it even more. Hope your award for backing a group who can condone killing 168 people looks great next to orange julious. John
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