SEMINOLE, Fla. -- It’s no secret that wildlife rehabilitator Vernon Yates loves his tigers.
- Vernon Yates featured in Netflix's Tiger King docuseries
- Yates the owner of Widlife Rescue and Rehab in Tampa area
- He's one of many characters featured in trendy show
“I’m not a dog person. I’m definitely a cat person,” says Yates, owner of Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, Inc.
His job is to help catch and care for exotic animals around the Tampa Bay area.
With almost 300 animals on his 3-acre property in Seminole, Florida, he cares for four tigers, a Florida panther, and two black bears.
“I care for them, because they don’t have another place to go,” he says. “This is my life."
Yates is featured in one of the most popular shows on Netflix right now, called Tiger King. The streaming service describes it as "a jaw-dropping true tale of con artists, polygamy, rivalry, and revenge,” in which a zookeeper who calls himself Joe Exotic goes head-to-head with Tampa-based animal-rights activist Carole Baskin.
“Joe is exactly the same in the show as he is in real life,” Yates said.
Even though the show has received traction on social media, earning comments from celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Cardi B, Yates refuses to watch the show.
“I don’t need to see it -- I’ve lived this horror,” he says. “It’s like watching my worst nightmare."
Yates explains he’s been fighting against animal rights activists, including Baskin, for years.
“There ain’t nothing she can do to stop me,” he said.
In Tiger King, Baskin is the owner of Big Cat Sanctuary in Tampa and is working to change legislation on the private ownership of tigers.
“Their own homelands aren’t being protected,” Yates said. “If you can’t reproduce (tigers) them anymore, they are going to be gone.”
He hopes fans of the show look past the drama and understand the importance of conservation of tigers, so people can enjoy them for years to come.