Oregon Roadside Zoo Owner Arrested After Drugs, Guns Were Seized In Criminal Investigation

An Oregon zoo owner was arrested on drug charges after a raid uncovered 80 grams of methamphetamine, eight grams of cocaine, 44 firearms, and about $1.6 million in cash, cashier’s checks, bonds and certificates.

Brian Tenney, 52, was arrested Tuesday and released the same day, police said.

Police served multiple search warrants at the West Coast Game Park Safari in Bandon, Oregon on May 15 as a result of a criminal investigation into the zoo’s operations. More than 300 animals were seized at the end of the days-long raid. The animals were relocated to animal sanctuary or rescue facilities, according to the police. No animals were released into the wild.

A chicken, kinkajou and camel were euthanized because of their physical condition, police said.

“Over the last 11 years, I’ve never seen anything quite like this,” Coos County Sheriff Gabe Fabrizio told reporters. “The amount of agencies — the amount of people. I believe there was more officers from all the different agencies than there are in the entirety of Coos County.”

According to an April United States Department of Agriculture inspection report, a lioness, lion and leopard had decreased muscle mass and their hips, ribs and spine could be seen under their skin.

A March report states that there was “no readily identifiable facility attendant present” at the zoo in areas where between 50 and 100 combined sheep, goats, llamas and deer roamed free. An October 2024 report stated the same thing.