The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Elbert County sheriff’s office are investigating whether owners of Lion’s Gate animal sanctuary committed any violations when they euthanized three tigers, five bears and three lions last month.
Steve Segin, a spokesman with the Fish and Wildlife Service, said his agency will be looking into whether violated the Endangered Species Act.
“That’s why it triggered the Service’s involvement,” he said Monday.
Special agents from the Fish and Wildlife Service will be working closely with investigators from the sheriff’s office, and both agencies will be in contact with their respective federal and county prosecutors to determine what, if any, action is appropriate, Segin said.
Lion’s Gate’s owners last year because recurring flooding on the property made conditions unsafe. They attempted to open a new site south of Elizabeth but .
For years, neighbors living near the proposed relocation site have said a sanctuary is not appropriate for a rural neighborhood mostly known for an equine lifestyle. They worried about safety and complained about the possibility of lions roaring day and night.
The decision to kill the animals was met with widespread condemnation, including a Minnesota wildlife sanctuary but was never contacted this time around.
