NOAH'S LOST ARK Denied access, N.Y. man still hopes to visit tiger

The man has scars on his leg from a tiger bite and faces criminal charges.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
BERLIN CENTER -- A New York City man says he is not giving up on his hope of visiting with his 400-pound tiger.
Antoine Yates tried to visit Ming last week at Noah's Lost Ark, an exotic animal sanctuary here, but says he was turned away.
"I drove 490 miles and they didn't even offer me a glass of water," Yates said Wednesday. "I don't want anything from them except to visit my tiger.
"I'm planning on coming back this weekend. I'll pay the fee to get in the place. I just want to make sure my tiger is OK. I can't understand why I can't do that."
Ellen Whitehouse, owner of the facility, could not be reached to comment.
Went to facility
Yates showed up at Noah's Lost Ark on Saturday morning but was denied access. Whitehouse released a written statement Saturday saying she thinks Yates' true motives are for publicity.
"In my opinion, he has shown no real care for the animals here or of their well being," the statement reads. "We are home to over 125 animals, including over 50 large cats. Our main purpose is to offer them a permanent, safe haven, and that they be protected. And for these reasons only we are denying Mr. Yates access to our facility."
Yates, a construction worker, said he misses the tiger and it's difficult being so far away.
"He was more to me than just a pet and I want him closer to me so I can visit him," Yates said. "I own Ming. I am going to look at a facility in Long Island and find out if they will house him for me."
Yates said he bought Ming in Minnesota and never gave up ownership.
Yates said that he had tried to create a utopia in his five-bedroom public housing apartment in New York, but the plan went awry in October when Ming, a 2-year-old orange and white Siberian-Bengal mix, bit him.
Animals discovered
Shortly after Yates went to the hospital, authorities found out about Ming and Yates' other pet, an alligator. Both were taken to animal sanctuaries.
Yates, who has four scars -- the worst about 2 inches long -- on his right leg from the bite, is facing criminal charges of reckless endangerment. He has pleaded innocent. A trial is scheduled in New York for June.
Larry Wallach, a board member of Noah's, has said that the sanctuary will not release Ming to Yates.
"The city of New York has entrusted us to keep Ming safe and we will honor that request," Whitehouse's statement says. "Ming was confiscated by the animal control officers and the city of New York and was donated to this facility and is the legal property of Noah's Lost Ark."
sinkovich@vindy.com