Mexico: Police Save Big Cats, Others From Animal Rescue After Reports of Mistreatment

Mexican police have raided an animal rescue center in the mountains south of Mexico City. Authorities hauled away 177 lions, tigers, jaguars, and other exotic big cats, as well as other animals from the animal sanctuary that was supposed to rescue, help, and take care of these creatures.

The Federal Attorney General's Office for Environmental Protection spoke to the media on Wednesday and said that they rescued a total of 202 animals from the supposed animal rescue center called the Black Jaguar-White Tiger Foundation. These include monkeys, dogs, donkeys, coyotes, and big cats. Authorities are now taking the animals to other locations.

Black Jaguar White Tiger Animal Sanctuary Raided After Photos of Mistreated Animals Surfaced on Social Media

The Black Jaguar-White Tiger animal sanctuary was raided by Mexico City police last Tuesday, following images that showed rail-thin, distressed and injured lions, surfaced on social media. However, the sanctuary's founder argued against these images and said that they are an animal rescue and that some of the animals have arrived there already in bad shape.

Mexico City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch said that they have seized the property for the improper use of the property and the mistreatment of animals.

The Associated Press reported that Mexico City police found that the property where the animals are kept was zoned for agricultural or grazing purposes, and not for keeping particular species of animals there. However, they also reported that the facility has filed the paperwork needed to keep big cats and other exotic animals under Mexican law.

The Association of Zoos, Breeders and Aquariums of Mexico said that its members are willing to volunteer in taking care of the animals. It also said that the 2015 ban on circus animals and Mexican drug cartel members keeping big cats as pets has saturated many facilities and animal sanctuaries in Mexico, However, they are still willing to take in these animals because they were kept in such deplorable conditions.

Black Jaguar-White Tiger Animal Sanctuary Had Celebrity Donors With a Controversial Tiger King-like Founder

The sanctuary is run by the controversial Eduardo Serio, whom the Mexican police are now looking for. They are currently investigating him for his sanctuary's mistreatment of animals. He is now wanted for his crimes against animals and is on the run.

PETA calls Serio one of the most notorious animal abusers that were not exposed by Netflix's Tiger King documentary. Much like Joe Exotic himself, Serio also profited by exploiting animals and people who wanted to help them.

According to Border Report, several celebrities, including the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, and others, have donated large amounts of money to the Mexico City-based animal sanctuary. This is similar to the practice made by Joe Exotic and the other big cat sanctuary owners featured in Tiger King, who have had celebrity donors but still mistreated or neglected their animals.

Much like Joe Exotic in Tiger King, a documentary about Serio is also being made. Independent Film Producer Arturo Allende has been working on a documentary about the sanctuary for two years. He describes it as "hell on earth for the animals."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: AZCARM denunció a Eduardo Serio por maltrato animal y tráfico de especies - Grupo Fórmula