A new video released by Animal Defenders International (ADI) tells the remarkable story of Hoover the tiger, saved from a circus in Peru, where secretly filmed video shows him being trained with whips and sticks and living in a small cage, and now living in natural woodland with his own pool, next to other tigers at Big Cat Rescue in Florida.
Sick and emaciated, Hoover was the sole survivor of an original group of 12 tigers owned by the circus and looked set to follow their fate until Peru’s wildlife department, SERFOR, police and ADI rescued him during a mission to enforce Peru’s new law.
The circus had tried to evade the law, disappearing into the mountains for eight months, but they were tracked down and in a surprise raid, Hoover was saved.
Safely in ADI’s care, Hoover was transferred to the Spirit of Freedom rescue centre near Lima and with extensive rehabilitation, much tender loving care, veterinary attention, toys and exercise he recovered and thrived.