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Animal sanctuary kills all its animals, blames government

Published  May 3, 2017 1:10pm EDT
U.S.
FOX 29 Philadelphia

ELBERT COUNTY, Colo. (FOX NEWS) - The owners of an animal sanctuary in Colorado that recently euthanized all of its animals claim they were forced to do so by the government.

Owners of the Lion's Gate Sanctuary said they had to humanely euthanize three lions, three tigers and five bears last month, after the Elbert County Board of Commissioners denied their request to move to a new location.

Dr. Joan Laub and her partner Peter Winney wanted to build a sanctuary on a 45-acre property near Elizabeth instead, according to The Coloradoan.

The original property had endured multiple floods and according to co-owner Laub, they felt they had "no other option" to protect the animals if they wouldn't be allowed to move the sanctuary.

Click here for more from FOX News, including three county commissioners saying another sanctuary had "publicly offered to care for the animals at their facility if Lion's Gate was unable to do so" -- and a statement from the sanctuary owners saying "We believe we did not receive a fair hearing from the Elbert County Board of County Commissioners. We believe our property rights were violated."