U.S. DOJ Granted Preliminary Injunction Against Jeff Lowe

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) was granted a preliminary injunction in its litigation against Jeff Lowe, his wife, and two businesses associated with the Lowes. The United States was then permitted to promptly transfer all tigers, lions, and tiger/lion hybrids who are 1 year old or younger, along with their mothers, from the Lowes to reputable facilities. The decision cites PETA’s recent federal court victory against Jeff Lowe, Tim Stark, and Wildlife in Need as helping to establish that the animals in this case are protected by the Endangered Species Act. The DOJ sought this extraordinary measure following the recent euthanasia of a tiger cub suffering from a completely preventable condition caused by a nutritionally deficient diet that could have been reversed with appropriate nutrition and veterinary care. The continuing lawsuit seeks, among other relief, for the court to order the Lowes to permanently relinquish all endangered and threatened species in their possession.