KEENESBURG, Colo.,
Nov. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The future of 16
Lions and Tigers has become unclear with an ethical battle erupting
between an American Wildlife Sanctuary and a Paraguayan NGO.
The exotic big cats are part of a traveling circus based out of
Argentina, and have been stranded
in Paraguay for nearly five months
with Argentinian authorities refusing their re-entry.
The nine Bengal Tigers and seven African Lions belong to the
Argentine circus that normally performs in the Paraguayan capital
each August. Their owner, Oswal Wasconi, brought them back for a
2012 performance only to learn that a new law in Paraguay bans live animal acts at
circuses.
With Argentina stating they
were not going to allow the animals back into the country without
obtaining more detailed information about their protected status as
endangered species, the animals' future became unclear.
Paraguay's wildlife agency made
the decision to move the 16 Lions and Tigers to the Asuncion Zoo in
hopes they would be more comfortable and better cared for while a
solution was found.
Immediately, calls and emails for help began pouring into the
U.S. offices of The Wild Animal Sanctuary, a non-profit carnivore
sanctuary located outside of Denver, Colorado. The 720 acre (291
hectare) facility is the largest and oldest large carnivore
sanctuary in the western hemisphere, and has successfully rescued
more than 30 circus animals from Mexico and Central & South American
countries in recent years.
After talking with Paraguayan wildlife officials, The Wild
Animal Sanctuary began negotiations to save the animals and secure
a permanent home for them at the Sanctuary. A relatively small NGO
known as OIPIC located in Paraguay
became the intermediary between the circus owner and the Sanctuary,
and helped with initial negotiations.
In the beginning, the circus owner offered to sell his animals,
but the Sanctuary made it clear they were only interested in saving
the animals and giving them a permanent home where they could be
free and live in large natural habitats - and not cages.
Circus owner, Oswal Wasconi, stated he had spent thousands of
dollars in fines and caring for the animals, since they had become
stranded in Paraguay, and
requested compensation for his losses in order to relinquish the
animals.
The Wild Animal Sanctuary agreed to pay for the feed and care of
the animals while waiting to win their freedom, and also to cover
the circus's costs associated with government fines and other
welfare expenses. Communications between the parties involved
established those expenses at $20,000.00.
OIPIC president, Brigitte Fuzellier, reported success in the
negotiations through her communication to the Sanctuary stating
"Aqui estoy ahora con la duenha de los tigres que vino desde brasil
para resolver el tema de los tigres ella est de acuerdo con migo.
Si le pagamos la proxima semana la sena de 20 mil ella firma la
carta de compromiso con nosotros."
However, within days, it became apparent the circus owners were
still attempting to sell the animals for $70,000.00 U.S. dollars to OIPIC, and actually
had no concern for their animals' future. Instead of holding
the circus to their agreement, OIPIC suddenly changed their stance
and agreed to pay the circus owner an additional $50,000.00 dollars to buy the animals.
Subsequent communications from Sanctuary made it very clear to
OIPIC that the owner's demands for money beyond expenses associated
with their being stranded in Paraguay were extremely inappropriate… and in
no way would the Sanctuary be willing to be part of a deal to meet
the owner's unscrupulous demands. OIPIC responded stating they were
afraid of damaging their friendship and close association with the
circus owner, and said they would continue to try to raise another
$50,000.00 in U.S. currency to buy
the animals.
Sanctuary Executive Director, Pat
Craig stated "It is highly unethical and illegal to purchase
endangered species, and any reputable organization – including ours
– would never agree to do so. We have repeatedly made this
clear to Brigitte, yet she is continuing to pursue donations from
the public to meet the owner's sale price. This unethical
behavior and outright refusal to follow well-established
international law leaves us no choice but to discontinue our
relationship with OIPIC."
The Wild Animal Sanctuary sent an official letter to OIPIC
President Brigitte Fuzellier on the
20th of November stating it was breaking ties with her
organization, and they would be forced to pursue other avenues to
secure the circus animals' freedom. Sanctuary Public
Relations Director, Katie
Vandegrift, stated their internationally well-known animal
welfare organization was saddened by OIPIC's clouded judgment, and
hoped the South American NGO would soon realize the serious nature
of their potentially illegal actions before they got in trouble
with law enforcement.
Currently, negotiations between the two entities have ceased,
and the future of the Lions and Tigers is not clear. OIPIC
has recently stated they want to keep the animals in Paraguay, and raise money to build them a home
there.
Whether the animals return to Argentina... go to a Sanctuary in the United States... or remain in Paraguay... one thing is clear. Whoever
secures the animals freedom from the circus, will have to do so
without asking people to donate money to purchase them, as it is
now clear this would break important CITES treaties and
international law.
About The Wild Animal Sanctuary:
Rocky Mountain
Wildlife Conservation Center, Inc., DBA The Wild Animal
Sanctuary is a 720 acre refuge for large carnivores that have
been confiscated from illegal or abusive situations. The Sanctuary
is located 30 miles northeast of Denver,
Colorado near the town of Keenesburg. The non-profit organization
currently cares for more than 290 Lions, Tigers, Bears, Wolves and
other large carnivores and provides lifelong care for its rescued
animals. The Sanctuary is the oldest and largest carnivore
sanctuary in existence, having been in operation since 1980.
The facility is distinctive among others in that it provides large
acreage natural habitats for its rescued animals to live in and
roam freely. The Sanctuary is open daily to the public for
educational purposes and features an elevated "Mile Into The Wild"
Walkway that visitors utilize to see the animals in natural
habitats.
SOURCE The Wild Animal Sanctuary