PETA and Joe Exotic have bucked heads online following the fatal mauling of Ryan Easley.
Videos by Suggest
On September 20, it was announced that Ryan Easley, former Joe Exotic colleague and operator of the Growler Pines Tiger Preserve near Hugo, Oklahoma, had been killed by one of his tigers.
The preserve announced the news on Facebook.
Per the Associated Press, Easley was already dead when the deputies arrived. Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park explained what happened, saying that a tiger unexpectedly bit and shook Easley while both were in a cage. His wife and daughter watched while the tiger mauled him.
“This tragedy is a painful reminder of both the beauty and unpredictability of the natural world. Ryan understood those risks- not out of recklessness but out of love. The animals under his care were not just animals to him, but beings he formed a connection with- one rooted in respect, daily care and love,” the preserve wrote.
In the aftermath of his death, however, both PETA and Joe Exotic have had some things to say.
PETA Advocates For Remaining Wild Animal Exhibitors To Free Their Animals
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) released a short statement about Easley’s death. They stressed the unethical acquisition of his tigers, and their alleged malpractice and poor treatment.
“For years [Easley] had hauled them around the country, forced them to perform in cruel circuses … and kept them trapped in cages for hours when they weren’t performing,” PETA wrote. “In 2017, Easley was caught violently whipping tigers during a training session, one of whom was reportedly struck 31 times.”
The PETA Foundation Senior Director of Captive Wildlife Debbie Metzler then urged “the remaining wild animal exhibitors who aren’t dead or in federal prison to get out of the business now and send the animals to accredited sanctuaries where they can finally live in peace.”
Joe Exotic, who is currently serving time in prison, made a counterstatement to X. After presenting his sympathies for Ryan Easley and his family, he dismissed PETA’s claims of malpractice as “bulls–t.”
He then provided a lengthy explanation of his history in the business.