Jackson's tigers get AV home

ACTON - Two tigers from Michel Jackson's Neverland have found a new home in the Antelope Valley. On Saturday, actress and animal advocate Tippi Hedren spoke to the felines from behind a metal fence.

The 6-year-old Bengals came from Michael Jackson's Neverland Valley Ranch in Los Olivos a month ago. Hedren explained that when Jackson decided to close his zoo, veterinarian Martin Dinnes recommended the sanctuary for their new home.

The tigers were a little cranky because of the move. After weeks in a quarantine camp - standard practice for new Shambala residents - the duo took a few days to adjust to their new pen.

There was a train in Neverland, Hedren explained, so the nearby Metrolink wasn't a problem. But they had never been around lions or other tigers before, so they had to adjust to the roaring of 70 other rescued animals at the Shambala Preserve.

The wildlife refuge sits on 80 acres of land off Soledad Canyon Road. Hedren bought the land in 1972 and established the nonprofit Roar Foundation in 1983. Current tenants include a lion, tiger, cougar, black and spotted leopard, serval, bobcat, cheetah, jungle cat, lynx and liger.

Although deemed "exotic," all were bred and born in the United States, part of the cat trade that Hedren described as "tragic and insulting."

The event was designed to highlight the needs of wildlife around the world, a mission that Hedren took personally after gracing the silver screen in movies such as "Marnie" and "The Birds."

What started as a simple movie shoot led to the purchase of the Acton ranch and a growing relationship with agencies such as the Department of Fish and Game and the Humane Society.

From the page: Sabu and Thriller:
Michael Jackson’s Tigers Find A New Home

http://www.shambala.org/

The Roar Foundation’s Shambala Preserve, certified by the American Sanctuary Association, operated by Animal Advocate and actress Tippi Hedren, who is Founder and President of The Roar Foundation, is now the new home for Michael Jackson’s two Bengal Tigers.

When Jackson decided to close his zoo at his Neverland Valley Ranch in Los Olivos, California and place his animals at other facilities, he consulted with his animals’ long time zoological Veterinarian, Dr. Martin Dinnes and asked him which Sanctuary would make the best home for his tigers, “Thriller” and “Sabu”. A quality facility was Jackson’s priority. Dr. Dinnes took little time in suggesting The Roar Foundation’s Shambala Preserve.

In common with all the other animals Shambala takes in, which now total 70 non-domestic felines including leopards, lions, other tigers, servals, cheetah, mountain lions. These tigers from Neverland came with no endowment for their future care. Acceptance of these beautiful animals by The Shambala Preserve could not be taken lightly as it costs a great deal of money to properly care for them the rest of their lives. The lifetime commitment for these animals is over 20 years, therefore taking in these 7 year old tigers is more than a 13 year commitment. In any case, sadly, it is rare that support money comes with any of these animals.

A new tiger compound is under construction and will house these tigers, together, as they always have been, for the rest of their lives. The cost of the new tiger’s habitat, when finished, will be close to $70,000. The Roar Foundation will need to raise the money immediately in order to accommodate the animals in their new compound when they are released from the quarantine facility at Shambala on June 10, 2006, a date which coincides with the hosting by Tippi Hedren, of the First Annual ROAR for Wildlife Global Conference 2006. The conference addresses the needs of wildlife around the world. For information on the Wildlife Global Conference or on The Shambala Preserve, please call 661-268-0380 or check our website for more information.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.