Put A Tiger In Your Tank But NOT At The Truckstop Says Tachoblog
1.13.2010
Over here in the UK, the only people who can keep a tiger are zoos. Almost all, if not all, circuses that used to have such magnificant beasts no longer do. If you asked most UK motorists and truck drivers about a connection between driving and tigers, then they would probably all mention the use of a tiger by fuel company Esso for advertising purposes, ‘Put a tiger in your tank’ and all that…
However, in America, certain people do keep ‘pet’ tigers. One (in)famous example of this is Michael Sandlin, the owner of the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana. Tony the Tiger (pictured above in a photograph by Patrick Dennis of The Advocate) is the last of four tigers that Sandlin had and pressure is being applied to have Tony moved somewhere more suitable.
According to many, the truck stop is popular thanks to its good food, however many feel that the place is not suitable for a Bengal Tiger. A comment by Tigress62 on the AskTheTrucker website sums it up well ‘Tony is exploited 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and breathes in the fumes and endures the noise of trucks and cars, as well as the taunting of ignorant people. Surely this is not a healthy environment for him. How can anyone condone such living conditions as these for any animal?’
There are now several websites campaigning on Tony’s behalf, if you want to find out more then visit Free Tony The Tiger.
Coming from a country that’s famed for its love of animals, Tachoblog thinks that the time for Tony to be moved somewhere better for him is long overdue and hopes that this will happen very, very soon.
http://www.tachoblog.com/put-a-tiger-in-your-tank-but-not-at-the-truckstop/
