GW Exotic Animal Park (Closed) GW Animal Park Discussion

Yes

 

@snowleopard visited and reviewed this place, I just can't remember when and I'm too tired to find it. Try his 2015 trip, that seems about right.

 

Here is my review of the zoo from my 2015 road trip where I visited 81 zoos:

G W Exotic Animal Park is a non-AZA accredited zoo located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and it was founded in 1997. Garold Schreibvogel was a young man who was killed by a drunk driver, and his parents founded the zoo (once known as a Memorial Foundation) in his honour. The zoo is situated on 54 acres and is somewhat infamous for numerous animal abuse charges and incidents.

I’m not even sure what to make of this place. Walking around is kind of unnerving as there are growls and “chuffs” from all directions. The overwhelming shock of seeing so many big cats in one place wears off after quite some time, but this park has approximately 190 big cats and almost all of them are in fairly small, chain-link metal cages. Of that astounding total, probably 175 or so are tigers and the sheer volume of tigers is something that needs to be seen to be believed. A waiver form for liability reasons has to be signed before a visitor is allowed in the park and it is easy to see why when it would be simple to stick one’s hand into a tiger cage at any given moment. The standoff barrier is waist high in most places and there is only slightly more than a two foot gap between a visitor and a growling tiger. It is all rather remarkable and the scent of cats is in all directions.

I chatted with three different employees and there were certainly a lot of workers inside, although I suspect that for the hour and a half duration of my tour I was the only visitor in the establishment. How do these small zoos in the middle of nowhere survive? One guy told me that Wal-Mart is the only reason why the zoo stays in existence as 100% of the meat is supplied by that company and he said that it is a full-time job just walking around ensuring that the 190 big cats have all of their food. The facility does have a lot of people sponsoring a number of exhibits, and the zoo does a lot of good in rehoming bears, primates and big cats that have been pets or illegally kept in captivity by abusive owners.

Besides an endless stream of 175 tigers, there are other mammal species on display that include: Grizzly Bear, American Black Bear, African (Barbary) Lion, Cougar, Spotted Hyena, New Guinea Singing Dog, Coyote, Coati, Raccoon, Striped Skunk, Chimpanzee (two elderly retired apes), Mandrill, Hamadryas Baboon and Colombian Black Spider Monkey. A pitch dark Reptile House (woefully inadequate), several crocodilian pools and an endless array of chain-link yards makes up this zoo. However, there are a couple of very large, naturalistic tiger yards that stand out from the rest of the enclosures.

 

Zookeeper 'Joe Exotic' arrested in murder-for-hire plot involving Florida cat-rescue group

 

I wish I'd been online friday and had seen this finally happened!! He came up in a group discussion while I was at Bronx Zoo, a keeper mentioned the "cute" video of the dachshund playing with the tiger. They thought the video was from Japan, for some reason.
Some of his supporters are, of course, trying to say he's been framed by those who don't like how he cares for his animals. I hope some animal related charges get added to this.

 

This post by Big Cat Rescue includes a detailed list of places Joe sold animals to in 2009-2012: Joe Exotic Arrested for Murder for Hire | Big Cat Rescue

 

Great, Joe's antics will now scar the entire private industry.

 

Some of these transactions sound dubious at best. But in regards to S.Korea and Thailand I think BCR are clutching at straws. The collections might not be Bronx, Columbus or San Diego but from reviews and photos (thanks to @Chlidonias & @LaughingDove for pics/reviews!) they appear far from the hell holes BCR make them out to be. And their opinions appear to be based on TripAdvisor reviews, obviously the most reliable source on the internet...

 

An article with more info

Joe is saying he was framed, obviously, by the zoo's current owner. It's now being confirmed that Joe sold the zoo to Jeff in 2016 but continued working there until July, when he was kicked out; the legalities of who owned what have been uncertain for a while, they did lots of legal nonsense to try and confuse people, largely because of Jeff owing BCR $1 million still. He was in Texas for at least a month, not sure how he ended up in Florida trying to apply for a job at a hospital, but that's where he was tackled by cops.

Because of the finances, BCR is currently under the control of a court-appointed receiver. There's no payroll records, employees have been receiving a flat $300 a week ($7.50 an hour if working 40hrs/week). They haven't done payroll taxes and haven't been collecting sales tax on anything they sell. They appear to have not followed even the most basic of finance related laws. I'm not sure who is currently paying for the care of the animals.

 

Quick correction:
BCR (Big Cat Rescue) is not under control of the receiver. Wynnewood Zoo is. They were appointed because of the legal fees Joe owed to BCR.

 

Right, sorry! That's what I meant.

 

And I assume Wynnewood Zoo is another name for GW Exotic Park?

 

It seems to be called many things from Greater Wynnewood Exotic Park to Wynnewood Zoo in the media. All the same place though

 

It was previously called GW Exotic Park, named after Joe's deceased brother. When Jeff purchased it, he renamed it to Wynnewood.

 

The zoo is closed for good.

From Jeff Lowe, current owner:
"Okay guys. This post will make some people sad, but Lauren and I have decided to close the zoo in Wynnewood soon.

A group of us are opening another Zoo near the Winstar Casino in Thackerville, before Spring Break 2019.

Trust me, this new zoo will be much nicer than this zoo, and it will be in a geographical location that can support an operation like this without relying so much on cub breeding.

We plan to have elephants, girrafes, rhinos and of course lions, tigers and the hybrid cats, along with the largest petting zoo you have ever seen."

 

'Joe Exotic' to be arraigned Thursday at federal courthouse in Oklahoma City

What is arraignment?

 

It's when the charges are read and the person pleads guilty or not guilty, basically.

I haven't posted anything further about his arrest because I'm not sure what admin will allow to be said. He was transferred to Atlanta, then to Oklahoma two days ago. Supposedly there are going to be further charges brought, as well. He's already got charges in OK and FL. There's also talk about the investigation into Travis's death being re-opened.

 

Not sure how he would be able to acquire elephants!