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Where is Michael Jackson’s Menagerie Now?

By KAREN LEE STEVENS - July 1, 2009

While Michael Jackson fans are reminiscing about the King of Pop with tear-filled tributes and mushy memorials, pet lovers are remembering the Gloved One’s apparent addiction to exotic animals and the controversy his home-grown “zoo” created over the years.

According to Discovery News, one of Jackson’s first hit singles, “Ben,” honored his pet rat (have a hanky handy if you watch the 14-year-old Jackson sing this song on YouTube.com—it’s a touching tribute!). And Bubbles, a chimpanzee whom Jackson rescued from a cancer research clinic in 1985, was arguably one of his most favored pets and constant companion until the cherished chimp was banished from the eccentric entertainer’s bedroom (and, apparently, his private bathroom) after he reportedly became aggressive toward Jackson’s son, Prince Michael. (Why is it that folks are always surprised when wild animals start acting like, well, wild animals?) Bubbles is currently living at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchulu, Florida, the facility confirmed last week.

As his nose became noticeably smaller over the years, the music mogul’s menagerie expanded in size to include a lion, an elephant, giraffes, pythons, alligators and even tarantulas. Which begs the question: Where are all these animals now?

According to E! Online, Thriller and Sabu, two of Jackson’s tigers, are now part of the pride at Shambala, the wild-animal preserve in Acton, California, run by actress Tippi Hedren. Rikki, an Amazon parrot and a former favorite bird who lived in Neverland Ranch’s main house—not with the other feathered flock—is now housed at the Voices of the Wild Foundation, along with Jackson’s four giraffes, nine parrots, three pythons, two caimans and two anacondas. Freddie Hancock, spokesperson for the Arizona-based non-profit animal sanctuary, acquired many of Jackson’s former animals when the singer abandoned Neverland for good in 2007.

With such an array of animals in one place, one can’t help but wonder about the level of care the creatures received at the 2,800 acre property located near Los Olivos, California. According to a 2006 news report, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) accused the pop icon of animal abuse, saying the animals at his ranch were living in a state of squalor. “Photos [of Neverland] make it clear that the animals are being held in what can only be described as cruel conditions,” Lisa Wathne, spokeswoman for PETA, told the London Mirror. “They’re abysmal, little more than holding cells. Jackson must close this place and relocate the animals to an accredited zoo or sanctuary.”

But Freddie Hancock had nothing but good things to say about Jackson, although the two never met. “We made several trips to Neverland and you could tell from the facilities that there was a great deal of care and love for those animals,” Hancock told E! News on Friday.

We may never know the whole story surrounding Jacko’s animal husbandry skills, but one thing is certain: the “Bad” boy knew how to bring in the big bucks, at least at the height of his career in the 1980s. In 1987, for instance, he released a line of stuffed, collectible animals, honoring his favorite pets including Bubbles, Muscles the snake, Louie the llama, Jabbar the giraffe, Uncle Tookie the frog (named after his former manager), Suzie the rabbit, and Spanky the dog. At the time, the stuffed toys sold for $25 apiece, although a peek at eBay on Monday showed a “Buy It Now” rate of $250 (free shipping!) for the stuffed, collectible Bubbles in its original box.

For all his entrepreneurial expertise, controversy still swirled around the singer. Animal activists from PETA had planned a protest of Jackson’s summer concert series in London, set to begin on July 13, because the star reportedly intended to make his grand entrance accompanied by a variety of exotic animals, something that Jackson’s reps. denied. Can you imagine wild animals being subjected to ear-splitting music and applause, bright lights and the frenetic pace of a concert production? Me either.

I think we can all agree that Jackson was a bit “Off the Wall” when it came to animals (and, sadly, children). Whatever his reasons for displaying—and then discarding—a plethora of pets, the fact is this: Jackson’s furred, feathered and scaled “friends” were locked up instead of roaming free and that leaves me feeling less than “thrilled.”

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BYLINE: When Karen’s not pontificating about pop stars’ pets, she’s writing her next column, so send your story ideas to her at karenleestevens@cox.net. For more of Karen’s columns, visit www.examiner.com/x-1962-Santa-Barbara-Pet-Examiner.

PETS F THE WEEK – GUMBO AND LADY

Gumbo, a 10-year-old neutered male chocolate lab and Lady, a 6-year-old spayed female chocolate lab, are inseparable and need a home together. Gumbo, the larger of the two pups (weighing in at 90 pounds) and Lady (a svelte 76 pounds) are—like most labs—happy, sociable, playful and energetic. To learn more about adopting this dynamic duo, stop by the Dog Adoption and Welfare Group (DAWG) at 5480 Overpass Road, off Patterson Avenue, or call (805) 681-0561.

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Pathetic Article : 7/1/2009

Michael Jackson loved his animals and gave them the best treatment available. Don't you have something better to do than go on a liberal animal trip after a man has passed away? Seriously, this is tragic journalism. Find something better to write about PETA wannabe.

TIRED OF LIBERAL MEDIA

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: 7/1/2009

Yes how about talking about Obama the fly killer and non-shelter dog rescuer. Oh that's right, Obama get s free pass, because, well because he is Obama.

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Dreadful Article : 7/1/2009

This is all based on speculation, not fact. Why do you need to cause bad feelings for Michael?

Tired of the drama

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Shambala has his Tigers : 1/14/2010

But he did not account for their care in his will or estate.
his is pathetic and sad that other people have to pay for his animals.

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