Myrtle Beach Safari owner says SLED warrants related to out-of-state investigation
Law enforcement agencies were on scene at Myrtle Beach Safari on Wednesday afternoon, and the facility’s owner says the reason is related to an out-of-state investigation.
Officers from South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Department of Natural Resources and Horry County police were at the Socastee property off Folly Road near S.C. 707.
According to SLED Spokesman Tommy Crosby, agents are serving search warrants on the property. Officials have not released further details of the investigation.
The safari, properly known as The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.), is a popular tourist attraction and has become known as a place where celebrities stop, meet the animals and share videos from the visit on their social media pages.
Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, owner of the facility, told reporters Wednesday the investigation is related to three juvenile lions they received about three months ago from a zoo in Virginia called Wilson’s Wild Animal Park that is under investigation.
More than 100 exotic and agricultural animals were taken from the Virginia facility in August over allegations of severe mistreatment and neglect, according to The Winchester Star.
Antle said SLED agents didn’t confiscate the lions but did take DNA samples.
“They are all happy, healthy lions,” he said.
Antle and his facility have long been criticized by animal rights advocacy organizations, including PETA, which has chronicled dozens of citations Antle has received from the U.S. Department Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for ensuring compliance with the federal Animal Welfare Act.
The USDA cited Antle for violations including failing to provide tigers a secure enclosure and failing to maintain up-to-date animal records.
“Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle has a rap sheet of federal Animal Welfare Act violations a mile long, exploits cubs for the big-cat petting industry, has ties to unscrupulous characters like convicted murder-for-hire and big-cat trafficking culprit Joe Maldonado-Passage, and uses animals for harmful hands-on encounters, photo ops, and publicity stunts,” said Brittany Peet, PETA’S Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement.
SLED agents were seen by The Sun News entering a property Wednesday afternoon near the safari that is owned by Antle, according to online Horry County property records.
According to its website, the safari has “more than 200 wild animals, including 60 big cats.” A three-hour “Wild Encounters Tour” ranges from $339-$499 per person. There are several animal encounter options listed on the website, but the most expensive one appears to be swimming with tiger cubs and an African elephant, which will set you back $12,000, plus tax.
Some of the animals have also become known for making picks of the Superbowl winner.
This story was originally published December 11, 2019 at 2:52 PM.