‘Tiger King’ star Carole Baskin joins PETA in targeting Myrtle Beach area roadside zoo
PETA took another swing at Waccatee Zoo on Saturday and it now has a high-profile name joining it in condemning the Socastee animal facility.
Carole Baskin, one of the controversial stars of the Netflix docuseries “Tiger King,” spoke to the New York Post about her concerns with Waccatee Zoo in a story posted Saturday, the same day PETA — People for Ethical Treatment of Animals — labeled the facility the “Worst Roadside Zoo in America.”
“I am outraged that the wild animals at Waccatee Zoological Farm in Myrtle Beach are suffering needlessly, and the USDA is apparently doing nothing about it!” Baskin told the Post.
Waccatee Zoo caretaker Jeff Futrell told The Sun News on Saturday that he would not comment on the most recent accusations.
PETA has put up a billboard on U.S. 17 Bypass, south of Harrelson Boulevard, that says “Warning: Sick, Suffering Tiger; Don’t Stop at Roadside Zoos.”
“Suffering is on display at the Waccatee Zoo, where big cats, primates, and bears pace endlessly or even attack themselves in barren cages,” PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet, who appears in the “Tiger King” series, said in a prepared statement. “These animals need help now, and PETA stands ready to help transport them to reputable facilities that would care for them properly.”
PETA’s strongest accusations are directed at the condition of a tiger at Waccatee named Lila, who the organization says has lost nearly all of her fur and paces back and forth, which it says is a sign of psychological distress.
While Futrell declined comment Sunday, in the spring told WPDE, The Sun News’ news alliance partner, that he believes PETA is targeting his zoo simply for fundraising.
“I haven’t dedicated my life to taking care of animals to hurt them,” Futrell told WPDE in March.
The PETA billboard shows a photo of Lila but there is no specific mention of Waccatee Zoo. Futrell previously told WPDE that he simply has “an aging tiger that’s losing some hair.”
“Ive done blood samples, stool samples, skin samples, skin scrapes, hair samples and saliva samples. I’ve done everything I can do — it doesn’t show anything back,” Futrell told WPDE.
Baskin’ opinion on Lila’s condition differs, according to the New York Post.
“I am especially concerned for the health and wellbeing of Lila,” Baskin said. “She appears to be enduring great suffering from an apparent medical condition that has left her nearly bald and not receiving proper veterinary care. She’s been confined to a tiny, barren cage for years and is often seen pacing, a sign of stress … Tigers maintain full coats of hair for their entire lives unless there is a serious underlying health issue.”
PETA’s Saturday news release also says animals at Waccatee have been seen with significant hair loss and overgrown hooves. The organization says the facility is in “general disrepair, with dirty and unsanitary conditions, insecure fencing, and other issues.”
Horry County police stated in a March release that they is assisting in a U.S. Department of Agriculture investigation in regard to Lila.
Kelly Moore, director of public information for Horry County, told the New York Post that the county is continuing to assist the USDA in the investigation.
Waccatee Zoo is located at 8500 Enterprise Rd in the Socastee area.
This story was originally published July 11, 2020 at 4:31 PM.
