Carole Baskin Now Owns Joe Exotic’s Animal Park
A court in Oklahoma has awarded Carole Baskin control and ownership of Joe Exotic’s 16-acre animal park in Garvin County, Oklahoma, with its array of big cats.
A judge ruled in favor of Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue Corporation Monday in a lawsuit against the Greater Wynnewood Development Group, LLC. The latter company once was owned by Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage.
Exotic’s company must “vacate the Zoo Land premises within 120 days of service of this Order …Vacation of premises shall also require removal of all zoo animals from the Zoo Land,” the court order said.
According to court records, the judgment also awarded several cabins and vehicles to Baskin.
Exotic was convicted last year in a murder for hire plot against Baskin and is serving a 22-year sentence for the hit attempt and other crimes that include animal abuse.
An attorney for Jeff Lowe, who currently owns Joe Exotic’s park, told CNN, “We anticipated Carol Baskin getting the title to the former park that once belonged to Joe Exotic, and we did not challenge her attempts to do so. All of Jeff’s focus is on opening the new Tiger King Park in Thackerville, (Oklahoma), which should be opening in the next 120 days.”
