Latest news with #exoticanimals
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tonia Haddix found to be hiding another chimp
ST. LOUIS – The Missouri woman at the center of high-profile legal battles and controversies over exotic animal ownership, specifically chimpanzees, appeared in federal court on Tuesday, where it was learned she was hiding another chimp at her home. FOX 2 News has learned that authorities found the chimpanzee in the basement of her Sunrise Beach, Missouri, home, which she shares with husband Jerry Aswegan. The chimp was not registered. Haddix is not allowed to keep chimpanzees anymore as part of her bond conditions from prior cases. Haddix told the court she was not feeling well after an 'episode' that sent her to the hospital in Camden County. She said she was arrested in the hospital and felt well enough to sit through the hearing. She remained silent other than the explanation about her health. She was shackled at her hands and feet. Haddix will be back in court on Thursday afternoon for a bond revocation hearing. U.S. Marshals arrested Haddix, 55, on Saturday afternoon after a St. Louis County Circuit Court judge issued an arrest warrant, instructing law enforcement to detain Haddix and Aswegan for allegedly ducking financial sanctions levied against them. After being held by the Camden County Sheriff's Office, Haddix was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals on Sunday. Aswegan is still expected to be taken into custody at some point. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In 2024, a federal court ordered Tonia Haddix and Jerry Aswegan to pay more than $220,000 in attorneys' fees and costs to PETA last year to end a lawsuit. Haddix and Aswegan gained national notoriety as the focus of the HBO docuseries 'Chimp Crazy,' which explored Haddix's actions and broader issues related to the private ownership of exotic animals. The docuseries is based on original reporting from FOX Files investigator Chris Hayes. Over the years, Haddix cared for the seven chimpanzees and bred them as talent for films and photoshoots, among other activities. These chimpanzees previously inhabited the Missouri Primate Foundation, a now-defunct animal breeding facility near Festus. Haddix's attachment to one chimpanzee, Tonka, sparked national attention in 2021. Tonka is a former animal movie star, appearing in films like the 1997 comedy 'Buddy.' At some point, Haddix claimed that Tonka had died when she instead had him locked in her basement. Animal advocacy groups like PETA said the many chimpanzees once under her care were unsafe and neglected. In 2020, Haddix and PETA came to terms as part of a consent decree, allowing Haddix to keep three of seven chimps in her care. Haddix later balked at the agreement, prompting a federal raid of her Festus animal facility in July 2021. Six chimps—not including Tonka—were removed and transferred to a Florida animal sanctuary. At the time, Haddix claimed Tonka was dead. But nearly one whole year later, Tonka was found caged in Haddix's basement in her Lake of the Ozarks-area home. That discovery prompted a new lawsuit from PETA, which contended that Haddix and her husband concocted an elaborate hoax when claiming Tonka had died, lied under oath about text messages she sent about Tonka at a time she previously deemed the chimp dead and tried to bribe federal marshals ordered to prevent Haddix from euthanizing Tonka. That lawsuit was supposedly settled in 2024, with Haddix and Aswego agreeing to a six-figure payout. However, PETA alleges the pair have failed to make any payments as part of the settlement and have not shared financial records. The St. Louis County judge's court order, filed July 17, said Haddix and Aswego have failed to appear at multiple scheduled court hearings. The judge scheduled a show cause hearing for Aug. 5 to provide an update on the matter. Meanwhile, Tonka now resides at the 'Save The Chimps' sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Florida. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Restaurant Scolded for Offering Cuddle with Lion Cubs on Its Menu
NEED TO KNOW Social media users and local leaders are calling out a restaurant in China for allowing customers to play with lion cubs Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city reportedly charges 1,078 yuan ($150) for the experience One official said the animals were "treated like nothing more than social media props'A restaurant in China is facing international criticism after the option to play with live lion cubs was added to its menu. Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city, located in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi, became popular after its June opening thanks to an unusual dining experience — a four-course tea where customers can cuddle with lion cubs for 1,078 yuan ($150). They reportedly sell about 20 tickets a day for the experience, according to Reuters. Footage of the unique tea was shared on China's WeChat and Weibo platforms, which are used for instant messaging and blogging. On Wednesday, July 16, a spokesperson for Wanhui restaurant told Reuters that the lions are well taken care of, with a special staff that tends to them. Additionally, the restaurant also offers llamas, turtles and deer for guests on its Douyin page, China's counterpart to the social media app TikTok. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Other exotic animals such as alligators and meerkats are also advertised on Wanhui restaurant's Dazhong Dianping profile, which is a restaurant listings app, The Guardian reported. Both news outlets noted that some zoos do offer dining experiences where customers can eat within eyeshot of animal enclosures, but that the option to play with the cubs has left many locals outraged. 'They're putting profit above consumer safety – it's way too dangerous,' one Weibo user reportedly wrote. Another added, "This is for the rich to play." What's your sign? Subscribe to to get your unique weekly horoscope delivered straight to your inbox. In a statement to Reuters, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Senior Vice President Jason Baker said, "Tearing lion cubs from their mothers so diners can handle them over afternoon tea is exploitation, not entertainment. These animals are living, feeling beings, not toys." Baker added that the animals were "treated like nothing more than social media props." Peter Li, China policy expert for Humane World for Animals, also weighed in on the discussion. "Exploiting wild animals for selfies and marketing gimmicks is not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers,' Li said. He concluded, "Even a young lion is capable of lashing out and injuring a human. So, treating wild animals like props is both morally unacceptable and dangerously irresponsible." Read the original article on People
The Guardian
7 days ago
- The Guardian
Restaurant in China sparks concern after putting baby lion cuddles on menu
A restaurant in northern China has been criticised by animal welfare groups for offering an unusual item on the menu: lion cub cuddles. According to a screenshot of a menu circulating on social media, Wanhui – a restaurant in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province – has a four-course set afternoon menu costing 1,192 yuan ($166/£124) that includes playtime with the in-house animals. The restaurant's profile on Dazhong Dianping, a popular restaurants listing app, shows pictures of the lion cubs alongside other exotic animals such as deer and alligators. The menu on the Dianping page does not include lions in its list of animals but says customers can also play with llamas, turtles and meerkats. Several photos show customers snuggling with the baby lions. In one review posted this month, a customer sits with a lion cub on her lap, holding the its paw to wave to the camera. The woman's review reads: 'I can pet a cute little lion in a small shop! 🦁 It's called Simba, and looks so good. There are staff to guide you, so you don't have to worry about safety issues!' But while some influencers have jumped at the chance to post eye-catching photographs on social media, the reaction from Chinese people online has been mostly negative. 'They're putting profit above consumer safety – it's way too dangerous,' wrote one Weibo user. Chinese media reported that the Shanxi forestry and grasslands bureau was investigating the matter, adding that this kind of human-animal contact was prohibited. Peter Li, a China policy expert for Humane World for Animals, told Reuters: 'Exploiting wild animals for selfies and marketing gimmicks is not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers.' It is not the first exotic animal welfare scandal in China. Last month, tourists visiting a zoo in Liaoning, in the north-east, were condemned for reaching through a metal grate to pull tufts of hair off a tiger. A hotel in Chongqing, a city in south-west China, recently attracted scorn for offering a 'wake-up service' delivered by red pandas, which could climb into guests' beds. Contact between humans and exotic animals has also been highlighted by experts as a potential risk for the spread of zoonotic diseases, such as Covid-19. Staff at Wanhui repeatedly hung up the phone when called by the Guardian. According to Reuters, the restaurant said the lion cubs were well cared for by specialist staff. Additional research by Lillian Yang
CNN
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Latest ‘Tiger King' twist finds ‘Doc' Antle sentenced to 1 year in prison for animal traffickin
Animal stories Endangered lifeFacebookTweetLink Follow 'Tiger King' star Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle was sentenced on Tuesday to one year and a day in federal prison and fined $55,000 for trafficking in exotic animals and money laundering after pleading guilty in November 2023. Antle's fate was resolved in a federal courtroom in Charleston, South Carolina, five years after the true crime documentary 'Tiger King' captivated a country shut down by COVID-19. Three others who pleaded guilty in his investigation received either probation or a four-month prison sentence. Antle's sentence is the final true-life chapter of the Tiger King saga. The Netflix series debuted in March 2020 near the peak of COVID-19 restrictions. The show centered on dealers and conservationists of big cats, focusing on disputes between Joe Exotic, a collector and private zookeeper from Oklahoma, and Carole Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. Antle, who owns a private zoo called Myrtle Beach Safari, appeared in the first season of the documentary and was the star of the third season. Antle's zoo was known for charging hundreds or thousands of dollars to let people pet and hold baby animals like lions, tigers and monkeys that were so young they were still being bottle-fed. Customers could have photos or videos made. Antle would sometimes ride into tours on an elephant. Myrtle Beach Safari remains open by reservation only, according to its website. Antle had remained out on bail since his arrest in June 2022. Antle's federal charges were brought after the 'Tiger King' series. Prosecutors said he sold or bought cheetahs, lions, tigers and a chimpanzee without the proper paperwork. And they said in a separate scheme, Antle laundered more than $500,000 that an informant told him was being used to get people into the U.S. illegally to work. Antle was used to having large amounts of money he could move around quickly, investigators said. The FBI was listening to Antle's phone calls with the informant as he explained a baby chimpanzee could easily cost $200,000. Private zookeepers can charge hundreds of dollars for photos with docile young primates or other animals, but the profit window is only open for a few years before the growing animals can no longer be safely handled. 'I had to get a monkey, but the people won't take a check. They only take cash. So what do you do?' Antle said according to a transcript of the phone call in court papers. Two of Antle's employees have already been sentenced for their roles in his schemes. Meredith Bybee was given a year of probation for selling a chimpanzee while Andrew 'Omar' Sawyer, who prosecutors said helped Antle launder money, was given two years of probation. Jason Clay, a Texas private zoo owner, pleaded guilty to illegally selling a primate and was sentenced to four months in prison, while charges were dropped against California ranch owner Charles Sammut. Antle was also convicted in 2023 in a Virginia court of four counts of wildlife trafficking over sales of lions and was sentenced to two years of prison suspended 'upon five years of good behavior.' An appeals court overturned two of the convictions, ruling that Virginia law bans the sale of endangered species but not their purchase. Antle was found not guilty of five counts of animal cruelty at that same Virginia trial.
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Tiger King star jailed for trafficking and laundering after buying chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs on black market
TIGER King star Bhagavan "Doc" Antle has been jailed for trafficking exotic animals and money laundering. Antle, 65, was sentenced to one year and one day behind bars and fined $55,000 on Tuesday - two years after he pleaded guilty to the charges. 4 4 Prosecutors said Antle sold or bought cheetahs, lions, tigers and a chimpanzee without the proper paperwork for a decade. They said he also laundered more than $500,000 so he could quickly get cash to buy more animals. Antle's sentencing was heard in a federal courtroom in Charleston, South Carolina - five years after the true crime documentary Tiger King captivated a country shut down by COVID-19. The show centred on dealers and conservationists of big cats, focusing on disputes between Joe Exotic, a collector and private zookeeper from Oklahoma, and Carole Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Exotic is serving a 21-year federal prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill Baskin. Antle appeared in the first season with Exotic and Baskin and was the star of the show's third season. Authorities said he laundered money used in a human smuggling scheme because he needed large amounts of cash quickly to buy animals, including chimpanzees, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and other creatures. Prosecutor Patrick Duggan said: "These animals are illegal to sell because they are endangered, and their high prices could encourage poachers to steal them from the wild. "He was knowingly and illegally trading them as part of a black market that drives another black market of poaching and smuggling." Customers would pay $200 for five minutes and photos with a baby chimp or $7,000 for a sleepover. Antle would sometimes ride into tours on an elephant. 4 Antle's lawyers requested a sentence of just probation or home confinement, saying their client needed to care for the 150 exotic animals that consume 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) of meat a day at his Myrtle Beach Safari. They said many of the animals only respond to Antle. About 25 friends and family packed a federal courtroom in Charleston. Several told Judge Joseph Dawson III that Antle was generous and caring. They said he raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poaching and preserve wild habitats for tigers, lions and chimpanzees. Federal guidelines called for about two years in prison, to which prosecutors agreed. But Dawson said, although Antle broke federal law, all the evidence pointed to him caring for animals. Antle apologized at the end of his sentencing hearing for causing problems for his life's work. "I made a mistake, I did stupid things," Antle said, adding, "I hope I'll be able to pull it back together for everybody." Antles Myrtle Beach Safari was known for charging hundreds or thousands of dollars to let people pet and hold baby animals like lions, tigers and monkeys that were so young they were still being bottle-fed. The zoo remains open by reservation only.
