Tiger Camp Rebuffed on License; 26 Cats May Need a New Home
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New Jersey’s Tiger Lady lost another round yesterday in her effort to renew her license to keep and exhibit the big cats on her property. An administrative law judge upheld a decision by the New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife not to renew the license of the woman, Joan Byron-Marasek, to operate the Tigers Only Preservation Society, in Jackson Township. Finding that the compound in which 26 adult and baby tigers live is ”unsanitary and rat-infested” and that Ms. Byron-Marasek failed to keep adequate records or cooperate with state inspectors, the judge, John R. Tassini, recommended it close. He gave Ms. Byron-Marasek ”a reasonable period of time” to move the tigers to properly licensed compounds elsewhere. Under state law, the commissioner of the State Department of Environmental Conservation has 45 days to accept, modify or reject the administrative law judge’s decision. If he accepts it, Ms. Byron-Marasek could appeal the ruling to the Appellate Division of the state court system. Neither Ms. Byron-Marasek nor her lawyer, Valter Must, could be reached for comment on the ruling or on any plans to appeal. More : query.nytimes.com |