Before being sent to prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot, the Tiger King, aka Joe Exotic, gave his animals to his associate, Jeff Lowe. Jeff and Lauren Lowe intended to open a zoo in Oklahoma, however, they failed every inspection conducted by the USDA. The agency noted the horrible conditions of both the proposed facility and the big cats themselves. Convinced the cats wouldn't get the nutrition or veterinary care they required, the Department of Justice initiated steps to rescue the tigers and send them to sanctuaries where they would receive appropriate care. Nothing about this rescue was easy, but Justice, the Marshals, and the Wild Animal Sanctuary among others, got the job done. Join us for the first part of this emotional and dramatic two-part episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices