DNR raids Shelby County facility to remove tigers, leopards

FLAT ROCK, Ind. (AP) - State wildlife officials raided an exotic animal facility Friday where they said dozens of tigers, leopards and bears were living in abysmal conditions.
     
Efforts to transfer the animals to other facilities were suspended midday after a Shelby County judge blocked their removal.
     
The Department of Natural Resources said it was taking action because it had a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture saying owner Dennis Hill no longer had a license for the facility, about 30 miles south of Indianapolis.
     
Agriculture Department spokesman Jim Rogers said records showed efforts to revoke Hill's exotic animal license last year had been put on hold while Hill appealed.
     
In records filed Friday in Shelby Superior Court, Hill said he had an agreement with the Agriculture Department and that his license was suspended, not revoked. Hill said he is allowed to maintain the animals and that he does not believe he is breaking any laws.
     
The tigers were found living in a six-inch-deep mixture of mud, feces and urine, some cages were not properly secured and there were holes in the perimeter fence of the property in a rural area near the Flat Rock River, conservation officers said.
     
"None of us have seen anything like this," DNR Sgt. Dean Shadley said. "They're just standing in their own filth. It's just urine and feces and mud and filth. The stench is awful."
     
Hill said in a telephone interview that he hoped the DNR would not take his animals away.
     
"It's basically a permit dispute," he said.
     
Before the judge intervened, conservation officers were working to remove 11 adult and eight juvenile Bengal tigers, five white tigers, three spotted leopards, three black leopards, four black bears, one mountain lion and one ringtail lemur, DNR officials said.
     
Two tigers weighing between 200 and 300 pounds were reported found in dog kennels in a barn loft, while another tiger was found dead on the property. Crews were searching for a missing tiger cub.
     
Some animals were found inside a dilapidated house that had some missing windows and holes in the siding.
     
Shelby Superior Court Jack Tandy issued a temporary restraining order stopping the removal of the animals, however, and telling the DNR to return any animals that had already taken. He scheduled a Sept. 30 hearing on the dispute.
     
DNR Director Kyle Hupfer said the agency began investigating Hill's facility in August and that officers first visited the property three weeks ago.
     
The agency delayed taking any action until Friday as it arranged agreements with certified rescue facilities across the state to accept the animals, Hupfer said.
     
What Hill was doing with the animals was not immediately clear, but a message on his home answering machine said, "If you're looking for any tigers or big cats for rock band performances, please leave a message."
     
Thomas Winterrowd, who owns the land next to Hill's property, said Hill has had animals at the site for about 20 years and in the past has also had wolves and an orangutan.
     
Winterrowd said he has had disagreements with Hill but noted, "I never saw him mistreat an animal."
     
Hupfer said he thought the situation had gotten "a little overwhelming" for Hill.
     
"I don't think he intended to harm them," Hupfer said. "It's not unlike someone who has 30 or 40 cats in their house - these are just 800 pounds."
     
Hill has had problems with the Agriculture Department since at least 1999, when the agency cited his facility for improper shelter, cleaning, sanitation, feeding and watering. Hill settled out of court in 1999 for $2,500 and a 75-day license suspension, Rogers said.
     
The Agriculture Department last year charged Hill with general compliance violations under the Animal Welfare Act. The agency moved to revoke his license and fine him $20,000, but that has been under appeal.
     
      (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)