Janette Vallance with one of the sanctuary’s lions.
Photo: RNZ / Sam Olley

Lions, tigers and a leopard face possible euthanasia in Whangārei after the financial collapse of their cat sanctuary home.

The Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary houses 15 big cats in their late teens and early 20s.

The site had only just reopened in 2021 after eight years closed down – and is now in involuntary liquidation.

Operator Janette Vallance told RNZ on Tuesday: “We need to get something in place here. If we don’t, they’re euthanised. I mean, that’ll happen over my dead body. Don’t get me wrong, but let’s be realistic. It is, from a business perspective, it’s more cost-effective than anything else.”

The business struck financial trouble after bad weather put off crowds in winter and summer, and then parts of the property flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle, Vallance said.

“It’s been a crap year to be honest. Like if you think back to the school holidays, whether [it was] mid-year holidays or the October holidays, it rained.

“Like we had two fine days I think it worked out to in the winter ones, and I don’t think it was much more in October. There’s not been the cash flow.”

There are 15 big cats at the sanctuary.
Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro

Under previous ownership, the park was once run by Craig Busch – the ‘Lion Man’ – and was also the scene of a fatal tiger attack on a handler in 2009.

To get it up to standard, $12 million was spent on the sanctuary between 2017 and 2021.

In a written statement, Ministry for Primary Industries deputy director general Vince Arbuckle said MPI had conducted regular onsite visits over the past year and a half.

“There have been no animal welfare issues identified since the facility opened to the public. Our last visit was early last week.”

The park was contacting people booked to visit in the coming weeks. There were about six fulltime-equivalent staff, including Vallance.

“We have an agreement for a little bit of funds to be spent on some wages over the next few days, that will come to an end,” she said.

The park reopened in 2021 after having been closed for eight years.
Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro

The liquidator, Bolton Equities, will continue negotiating the future of the park with Vallance on Wednesday, but they remained supportive of her as an operator, she said.

She would like to hear from anyone interested in investing in the park to keep it open.

Inland Revenue was among creditors owed money.

Bolton Equities did not respond to RNZ’s requests for comment.