In-Sync first connected with the Amarillo facility over a decade ago, completing a tiger rescue about seven years back. A volunteer who regularly traveled to Amarillo kept the lines of communication open, frequently visiting one of the lions, Kumba. The Amarillo operation had been run for many years by its original owners before tragedy struck: when they were killed in a plane crash, their grandson took over and did his best to honor their legacy. Eventually, he decided the animals needed more than he could provide and reached out to In-Sync.

A seven-person team made the round trip in a weekend, loading the animals on Sunday and driving through the night to arrive back in Wylie around 1:30am Monday. Some of the big cats needed sedation for the journey, and the lemurs arrived with health concerns that are now being treated in the sanctuary’s veterinary clinic.

For In-Sync founder Vicky Keahey, the rescue carried deep meaning. Watching Kumba from afar for years and finally welcoming him to the sanctuary was a reminder of the importance of patience and genuine relationships.

Tigers in America was happy to help get these cats to their new home.

One shelter that refused to give up is My Living Dogs, run for many years by Lyudmila Melnikova. The shelter’s situation changed dramatically when the Ukrainian military established a base nearby. Russian strikes targeting that base put her staff and animals in constant danger, forcing her to make the painful decision to relocate the entire facility. The new shelter is spacious and well-organized, but building it from scratch required resources she simply didn’t have.

That’s where Tigers in America came in. TIA had previously helped fund the transportation of big cats out of Sudan and lions out of a zoo in Odessa. When Gregg Tully of Animals Unbound brought My Living Dogs to their attention, TIA was ready to listen. Tully traveled to Ukraine to conduct an on-site inspection and came back with a clear recommendation.

In January 2026, TIA granted $5,580 to fund the construction of a surgical suite for the shelter’s new veterinary clinic. The grant covered the ceiling, walls, windows, and floor of the surgery room, along with electrical work and lighting. When Tully and fellow Animals Unbound board members visited Lyudmila in late February, she was visibly moved. “I cannot find words to express the importance of your support,” she wrote afterward.

The clinic will serve dogs, cats, and other animals with urgent medical needs, and will provide a critical location for spay and neuter surgeries in an area with no other veterinary facility nearby. Construction is still ongoing, and Lyudmila has been covering remaining costs out of pocket to keep the work moving forward. TIA remains the project’s largest donor.

In a war that has taken so much, this surgery room is a small but meaningful thing: a place where animals can be healed.

A little-known industry called “photography game farms” has quietly operated in the United States for decades, charging photographers as much as $500 for staged shoots with wolves, bears, big cats, and other exotic animals. Investigative reporting based on federal and state records reveals that some of these facilities function much like wildlife puppy mills, breeding animals, separating young from their mothers, and selling them to dealers or roadside zoos. Animals used for baby animal photos may be pushed into the exotic pet trade when they grow up.

The harm extends beyond the animals themselves. Photographers who visit these farms often post their images online or license them to stock agencies without disclosing that the subjects were captive. As a result, the wildlife photography market has become saturated with images that look wild but aren’t, and that misrepresentation has conservation consequences. When the public sees apparently thriving populations of endangered animals like snow leopards, it can create a false impression that these species are doing just fine in the wild.

Conservation photographer Michael Forsberg has described how this flood of game farm imagery undercuts photographers who spend years in remote terrain waiting for a genuine wild encounter. Those images may not always be technically flawless, but they tell an honest story about the natural world.

Encouragingly, the number of game farms in the Pacific Northwest has fallen by half over the past five years. One of the largest operations reduced its animal inventory from 64 to 46 between 2024 and 2025 and no longer keeps tigers or lions on site.

Tigers in America was happy to finance the transportation of big cats leaving bad places, and will continue to do so.

He was noticed on social media and subsequently confiscated by local authorities due to inadequate keeping conditions. Thankfully Four Paws agreed to relocate Erion to Tierart their big cat sanctuary in Germany.

In December, after acquiring the necessary paperwork to transport a lion across international borders Erion began his four-day journey in a specially prepared van accompanied by Marc Gölkel the Tierart vet.

The transfer, spanning more than 1,200 miles through 7 countries, took 67 hours on the road including a forced to reroute due to protest roadblocks in Greece.

TIGERS in AMERICA was happy to help fund this transport and vet care.

It was not the first time we had partnered with Four Paws to get a big cat out of the Balkans and probably not the last. Investigations between 2020 and 2024 estimate there are at least 60 big cats in Albania in substandard conditions.

Erion made it to his new home in time for Christmas, his recovery has begun he now looks forward to life in the tall grass of Tierart, the perfect gift.

TIA will help any big cat get home.

NEVADA: With the relocation of the Siegfried and Roy cats (6 tigers, 3 leopards and 2 lions) from the Mirage hotel and the 6 tigers from Dirk Arthur and the shutdown of Carl Mitchell, and relocation of his 7 tigers that he claimed were his emotional support animals there are no longer any tiger shows in Las Vegas or tiger dealers left in the state of Nevada. The Last Tiger Show

OHIO: By far our largest rescue was the shutdown of a Fur Farm in Ashtabula Ohio. Made possible by the space made available by Joe Taft and his Sanctuary in Indiana and his willingness to take in 30 animals including foxes, wolves and coyotes. Fur Is Not Fashionable

OREGON: The West Coast Game Park, one of the largest cub petting and tiger breeding facilities in the Northwest shutdown. The Nightmare Is Over

EASTERN EUROPE: The new found popularity of big cats as social media attractions  led to their presence in Eastern European restaurants to attract customers. The age old practice of chaining bears to the furniture was replaced by a lion in a cage for your viewing amusement during dinner. After a series of mishaps the local population objected, the cats were confiscated and relocated to Sanctuaries in Netherlands and Germany. Big Cats in the Balkans

WESTERN EUROPE: (Circus closings) Lions surrendered by circuses in France  relocated to sanctuary in South Africa.

THAILAND: In 2025 we funded the rescue of 3 tigers and 2 leopards relocated from a Vietnamese financed tiger farm in northeast Thailand near the Laotian border to the Wildlife Friends Foundation south of Bangkok in Thailand. This was TIA’s 3rd tiger recuse to this newly renovated facility. This facility has continued to improve, and this year became a named Tigers in America Sanctuary. Thailand Rescue Continues

TIGER MEDICARE: Apart from our normal transport activity we have expanded our Tiger Medicare program to a include special medical procedures for any Big Cat in a TIA Sanctuary including eye surgery to restore sight and in another case to repair bone damage caused by a botched declaw.

AWARDS: We have been honored to receive
The Champions of the Wild from Ray Lesniak Lesniak Award
The Advocacy Award from Ed Stewart PAWS Award

GENETICS: Dr Ellie Armstrong has accepted the position of Assistance Professor of Conservation Genetics at University of California-Riverside has set up her lab and continues her work with anti-trafficking

PHOTO CONTEST: The 6th GFAS – Tigers in America photo competition, run every year to celebrate International Tiger Day on July 29th. We were honored to have Jo-Anne McArthur judge and select the winner. Jo-Anne is an award-winning photojournalist, sought-after speaker, photo editor.

The 2025 winner is “What Are We Teaching?” by Gigi Glendinning.

Photo Contest Winners

UNTIL NEXT YEAR: As of the end of this year our Rescue count is 369 tigers and 173 other big cats. Rescue Details

Please remember none of this would be possible without your help and support and we and the cats will be forever grateful. Enjoy the holidays and if you get a chance take a bit of time and relax in the snow.

It began as a small roadside attraction with four deer in 1968 called “The Deer Park” was purchased four years later by Bob and Mary Tenney who expanded and focused on exotic animal breeding, dealing and cub petting. Advertised as “America’s largest wild animal petting park.” best known for offering up-close encounters with lions, tigers, foxes and other wild animals. By 1985 with over 200 animals, they boasted 60,000 visitors a year.

Their son Brian took over and by 2016 the cruelty violations began. He killed two black bears in their cage because he considered them a flight risk. Animals went days without food and many died without being seen by the attending veterinarian. Frozen turkeys were stored in a freezer with the body of a dead tiger. The USDA cited the park 78 times in a year.

In 2023 Brian allowed visitors to pet a juvenile jaguar, a clear violation of the newly passed Big Cat Public Safety Act, a federal offense under the jurisdiction of the US Fish and Wildlife.

The Oregon State Police launched an investigation with the assistance of Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Humane Society, Department of Agriculture, Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Services’ Criminal Investigation unit.

On Aug. 19, Brian was indicted by a Coos County grand jury for 371 charges, ranging from animal neglect and violating wildlife laws to drugs and racketeering.

The Sheriff said additional searches led to the discovery of 44 guns, including a modified machine gun, eight grams of cocaine, methamphetamine, and about $1.6 million in cash, bonds and cashier’s checks.

310 animals were seized and relocated to sanctuary and rescue facilities. Four of them were big cats. Two went to PAWS in California and Two went to Safe Haven in Las Vegas.

Tigers in America was happy to provide financial assistance for the relocation.

When Tajmir arrived at Liberec, he was under weight, malnourished and tested positive for salmonella. His mobility problems and stereotypical signs of stress were attributed to 10 years of restricted confinement and inappropriate care. At Liberec, he received nutrient rich meals and a safe enclosure.

Five months later the Four Paws team arrived from Netherlands with the paperwork necessary to permit cross border transportation and a customized climate-controlled transport. Tajmir’s emotional recovery was also dramatic He began to trust his care givers and willingly walked into the transport crate, thereby avoiding the anesthesia and recovery process for his trip. Tajmir was monitored closely throughout his 9-hour journey with closed circuit video in the transporter. There were periodic check-up stops along the way.

Upon arrival he waited patiently for the rolling cage door to open and walked straight into his indoor enclosure — no fear, aggression or hesitation, just curiosity. He explored, checked out his hammock, and even enjoyed a few bites of meat from the caretakers. His space is filled with natural light, cozy places to rest and recharge, and enrichment to keep him engaged. His outdoor enclosure will soon be complete with a pond, climbing structures, and plenty of room to play. Welcome home, Tajmir. Your new life starts now.

What is encouraging about this rescue was not only the resilience of a 12 year old tiger but the involvement of a Zoo. It turns out that Liberec is the oldest Zoo in the Czech Republic, opened in 1904 on the site of the winter quarters of a traveling circus. And while Zoos and Sanctuaries historically have different policies regarding captive animals it is possible to work together to save a life.

We at TIGERS in AMERICA were happy to provide financial support to get Tajmir home and thanks to the Liberec Zoo for his temporary care.

Mero was not imported from Africa, he was bred in Eastern Europe and sold as a cub to a private owner, convinced his wildness was bred out of him. At 10 months old is now a liability to his owner, the novelty of having a big cat wears off and the owner becomes unwilling or unable to care for him leading to a life of suffering in a substandard enclosure or resold into the trade.

Thankfully local authorities contacted FOUR PAWS and confiscated Mero. The challenge with confiscation is a place to hold the cat while awaiting paperwork to transfer the cat. Since there are no big cat sanctuaries in the Czech Republic arrangements to transfer him out of country it would take some time.

In the southernmost part of the Czech Republic near the Slovakian border Zoo Hodonín, a small local facility agreed to care and feed Mero until arrangements were completed. In the past traditional Zoos have been reluctant to get involved but this is clearly a case the wellbeing of a Mero overriding apprehension. Four months later Mero began his 600-mile journey in a custom FELIDA Big Cat ambulance from Hodonín to his new forever home in the Netherlands and released into a specially designed enclosure. He receives individualized care and building trust with his caretakers.

Not the first case of a lion rescue in eastern Europe, and probably not the last. Felida rescued Nikola a lion cub wandering around the streets of Montenegro. But this case highlights a larger more encouraging issue: the rise in local awareness to support confiscation and participation of Zoos as waystations during rescues in Eastern Europe.

We at TIGERS in AMERICA are happy to provide financial support to get Mero home and thanks to Zoo Hodonín for his temporary care.

The 2025 winner is “What Are We Teaching?” by Gigi Glendinning.

Jo-Anne had this to say about the winning photo:

‘What Are We Teaching?’ stands out in this competition with a strong message. Tigers are in the predicament they are in because of humans, and here we have a young human in the picture. The photo speaks of animals, culture, oppression, learning, and, the potential for a better future. What will this child learn? It’s up to us to teach. This image also has a unique composition, the two subjects are looking toward each other. Congratulations on a strong and emotive image!

And about the photos in general:

There were a number of beautiful submissions and I’m so grateful to the people who rescue and care for these animals in need, and that you also take the time to document their beauty. Captions and context are so important, and I know you are all telling people what is happening in the picture when you share the photos. All of your photos can educate. I see that as their role!

The runners up are:

A heartfelt thank you to all participants for sharing their powerful perspectives on tiger conservation.

These photos along with prior year winners are stored in the Awareness section of our website.

Historically wild animals in the Balkans were bears captured for traveling circuses or chained in restaurants for customer amusement. Fortunately, in 2013 the FOUR PAWS organization constructed a Bear Sanctuary on 40 acres in the tree covered mountains 12 miles from Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. Along with concerned citizens they worked with law enforcement and confiscated the bears. The Pristina Sanctuary presently houses 20 bears. Sanctuary manager Afrim Mahmuti has been involved in most of the rescues. “In Albania the trend evolved: They stopped having bears but started with lions.”

Gjoni, the lion, bred in captivity in Albania spent his life sitting in a cramped cage in a restaurant watching people eat. FOUR PAWS became aware of Gjoni in November 2019 in a restaurant in Kosovo. He was smuggled into the country from Albania. The owner pleaded guilty to illegal transfer and tax evasion and paid a fine. Although the authorities confiscated him in 2020, he remained at the restaurant due to the lack of a suitable big cat facilities in Kosovo and the difficulties in getting a permit to transfer him out of the country.

In 2022, a fire broke out at the restaurant near his cage. While he was unharmed, the fire increased the urgency of finding him a safe home. The future did not look bright but local public pressure led to emergency approval by the local authorities for his temporary relocation to the Bear Sanctuary.

This marked the beginning of Gjoni’s journey home. A special enclosure at the bear sanctuary was built for him. He received medical care and a proper diet and his muscle tone improved. He stepped on grass for the first time in his life and began to explore. His confidence grew as keeper kindness replaced harassment, he began to groom himself. Gjoni is a full grown adult male with a long blond mane. He is growing into the majestic creature he was born to be.

Recognizing this was only a temporary solution, FOUR PAWS worked tirelessly with authorities in Kosovo and Albania to find a long-term home. In June 2025, after overcoming numerous export hurdles, they finally got his paperwork to leave the county and to be transported to the FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands.

The challenge became getting him there, there are no direct flight airlines willing or able to fly a lion from Kosovo to the Netherlands. So a special transport van was brought to Pristina and on July 22 Gjoni began his 3 day Journey through 10 countries to Felida.

Gjoni is settling into his new home, exploring his surroundings and has even let out a magnificent roar. He is being closely monitored by the dedicated animal caretakers and will have the opportunity to interact with other lions in his outdoor enclosure. It is the first time since his birth 12 years ago he has seen another lion.

TIGERS in AMERICA was happy to help with funding the transport of get Gjoni home.

Some take away thoughts:

• Advocacy works: irrespective of country, local people care what happens to the big cats
• Persistence pays: it took a year to get the permits, but it saved his life