Former owner of Oregon roadside zoo sentenced to prison for animal neglect, drugs

The former owner of a now-closed wildlife park on the southern Oregon coast has been sentenced to 7½ years in prison following an investigation that uncovered widespread animal neglect, drugs, and firearms at the property.

Brian Tenney, 54, owned West Coast Game Park Safari near Bandon, a longtime roadside attraction along U.S. Highway 101.

Coos County Circuit Judge Andrew E. Combs sentenced Tenney Tuesday after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to 47 criminal charges, including 43 counts of animal neglect.

Tenney was also ordered to pay $340,922.61 in restitution and will serve three years of post-prison supervision. His sentence includes a 15-year prohibition on possessing numerous classes of animals.

The sentencing closes a major portion of a case that began well before authorities raided the park in May 2025.

What led authorities to investigate the Bandon wildlife park?

Oregon State Police began investigating West Coast Game Park Safari after receiving U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection reports in October 2024.

Federal inspectors had documented repeated problems at the facility. Oregon State Police worked with law enforcement officers from the Oregon Humane Society and obtained records from the park’s attending veterinarian as the investigation expanded.

PETA also said it repeatedly contacted Oregon State Police beginning in 2024 about conditions at the park and provided evidence of suspected animal neglect.

The investigation culminated in a series of search warrants in May 2025.

Authorities removed hundreds of animals representing more than 40 species from the property. Oregon State Police has said most of the surviving animals were eventually relocated to sanctuaries, zoos, and other facilities equipped to care for them.

In addition to signs of severe animal neglect, investigators also found dozens of firearms, methamphetamine, cocaine, and more than $1 million in cash and other financial instruments at the property, according to law enforcement accounts of the investigation.

What did investigators find happening to the animals?

Veterinary examinations and investigative records documented animals suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, untreated medical problems, and inadequate housing.

Some of the most serious findings involved animals that had already died.

The Oregonian reported that a tiger named Rocko had been kept in a freezer after his death. Although the tiger was initially said to have died following a fight with another tiger, a necropsy determined he had starved. His stomach was empty, and he showed muscle atrophy.

A fishing cat was also found frozen, and showed evidence consistent with starvation, according to prosecutors.

Investigators found three kinkajous suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, and other health problems in an enclosure contaminated with feces, urine, and spoiled food. One later suffered severe medical problems and was euthanized.

A severely weakened camel had an open neck wound and chronic dental disease and was euthanized at the property.

Other animals required treatment or euthanasia for conditions that investigators said were linked to inadequate care.

What happened to George the chimpanzee?

One of the animals to receive particular attention during the investigation was George, a chimpanzee who had been living alone at West Coast Game Park Safari.

According to The Oregonian’s reporting on the case, George was kept in an enclosure with rust and deteriorating wood that investigators considered inadequate for the highly social animal.

Removing him required multiple Oregon State Police troopers and veterinary personnel.

George was thin and had callouses on his knees when he was removed. He was eventually transferred to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Cle Elum, Washington.

Since moving to Washington, George has received a different diet and has been gradually introduced to other chimpanzees. The sanctuary has reported improvements in his physical condition and behavior.

What charges did Tenney plead guilty to?

Tenney pleaded guilty in April to 47 charges.

In addition to 43 animal neglect counts, his plea included charges of racketeering, delivery of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a machine gun, short-barreled firearm or silencer, and recklessly endangering another person.

A grand jury had originally indicted Tenney on 371 charges, most involving allegations of animal neglect.

The May 2025 searches also uncovered dozens of firearms and substantial quantities of drugs. The Oregonian reported that investigators found approximately 80 grams of methamphetamine and 8 grams of cocaine.

Twelve firearms discovered at the property had previously been reported stolen by Tenney in 2023, according to the newspaper. Tenney had not reported recovering them.

His negotiated sentence also incorporated a separate DUII case stemming from a January 2025 traffic stop in Bandon where he had a blood-alcohol level of .14, according to the Oregonian.

What did Tenney’s attorneys say about the case?

Tenney’s attorneys, Jason Short and Dan Olsen, told the court that he accepted responsibility for what happened and described the negotiated sentence as substantial.

The attorneys argued that Tenney had not taken control of the family business intending to harm animals. Instead, they said the operation eventually became too large for him to properly manage.

They acknowledged, however, that failures involving management, supervision, judgment, and oversight ultimately became criminal.

Tenney had been the park’s sole owner and had operated the property for roughly two decades. Before the, West Coast Game Park Safari had been a fixture on the southern Oregon coast since the early 1970s.

Where did the animals go after the park closed?

Animals removed from West Coast Game Park Safari were sent to facilities around the country based on their individual needs.

According to prosecutors, destinations included Wildlife Safari in Winston and WildCat Ridge Sanctuary in Scotts Mills, Oregon, along with Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Washington.

Other animals went to facilities in California, Minnesota, and Nevada.

The park did not reopen following the 2025 searches.

Tenney’s $340,922.61 restitution order covers costs associated with caring for animals seized from the facility before he surrendered ownership, according to PETA.

Tenney will also be prohibited from possessing numerous classes of animals for 15 years. His attorneys told the court he was working to sell his home to help satisfy the restitution requirement.

His co-defendant, Edith Beckner, who worked at the park and lived on the property, has separately faced hundreds of charges connected with the investigation.