HOUSTON – Landry’s Inc. is fighting claims of animal mistreatment and criminal conduct pertaining to its white Bengal tiger exhibit at the Downtown Aquarium in Houston.
Court papers filed Nov. 17 in the Harris County 334th District Court accuse the Cotati-Calif.-based Animal Legal Defense Fund of leading “a campaign of defamation” against Landry’s.
The ALDF allegedly made statements about how the plaintiff kept four tigers in “deplorable conditions” and subjected the beasts to “serious” physical mental and physical harm. Landry’s, in turn, asserts that the ALDF previously visited the Downtown Aquarium to view the exhibit and were made aware that the tigers were properly cared for in accordance to all applicable laws.
Per the lawsuit, the defendant sought to force the complainant into giving up the tigers by spreading misinformation through traditional and social media.
Consequently, Landry’s seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.
It is represented by attorneys Layne Kruse, Philip Tarpley, and Dov Preminger of the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP in Houston.
Harris County 334th District Court Case No. 2016-79698