‘Something was not right': Oregon Coast safari park received complaints for nearly a decade
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An at an Oregon Coast safari park earlier this month uncovered drugs, guns, and millions in cash — plus
, Matthew Tenney, is out of jail, but advocates have been pushing for change for years.
'It's frustrating that it has to come to that level,' said animal advocate Nicole Johnson.
When Johnson started digging into while researching circus laws, she came across an inspection of the safari park that described a dead tiger stuffed in a freezer next to frozen turkeys.
'Upon reading those inspection reports, it was very clear that something was not right there,' Johnson said.
Johnson joins many who've raised concerns — going back years.
In 2016, PETA demanded the Coos County Sheriff's Office investigate neglected animals at the park. The sheriff previously said limited resources made handling complaints impossible.
Frustrated by delays, Johnson's pushing to make enforcement easier for local authorities:
'Changing that law to make it so that it's easier for local authorities to come in and enforce state laws at those facilities,' she said.
Johnson says she's teaming up with Humane World of Animals to draft Oregon state legislation next session to allow more oversight to prevent mistreatment in the future.
Meanwhile, she's urging everyone to visit only parks accredited by the American Zoological Association or the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.
'They have very strict rules to be accredited with them, so I would look for any accredited facility and focus on going to those,' she said.
The Coos County District Attorney is still reviewing the case and hasn't decided on further action.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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