PETA Statement: No More Animal Exhibition for “Tiger King” Villain Jeff Lowe

For Immediate Release:
December 23, 2021

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Marietta, Okla. –

Today, the judge in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) case against notorious animal exhibitor Jeff Lowe; his wife, Lauren Lowe; and associated businesses approved an agreement that bars the Lowes from ever again exhibiting animals to the public and from regaining custody of the dozens of animals who were confiscated by the DOJ, including tigers, lemurs, and numerous additional species.

The court also entered a default judgment against the Lowes’ associated businesses, declaring that the corporations violated the Endangered Species Act (ESA) based on the DOJ’s complaint allegations, including by prematurely removing big-cat cubs and lemur pups from their mothers, failing to provide ESA-protected animals with adequate veterinary care or an adequate diet, failing to maintain sanitary conditions, and failing to maintain adequate and safe enclosures.

Below, please find a statement from PETA Foundation Deputy General Counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet, who appeared in Tiger King:

The DOJ has ensured that Jeff and Lauren Lowe’s days of exploiting big cats are over, and it seems that no more wild or exotic animals remain in their clutches. PETA is celebrating today’s judgment and urges the public to help put other Tiger King-style villains out of business by avoiding cruel cub-petting operations like animals’ lives depend on it, because they do.

The DOJ’s lawsuit relied on arguments from and precedent set by PETA’s successful ESA lawsuit against Jeff Lowe’s former business partner Tim Stark, which resulted in PETA’s confiscation of three lions from Lowe’s custody. They are now thriving at The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. Please let me know if you have any questions or if there’s any further information that I can provide.