Greek Tiger "Phevos" Moves to San Diego Sanctuary

Phevos was originally rescued in 2001, from a traveling circus in Greece by local delegates and placed in the Trikala Zoo. Athena, his partner, passed away in March after her infected paw remained untreated. Since her death, businessman David Barnes, a previous Animal Welfare Fund in Greece employee, had been looking for a new home for the tiger and started a fundraiser.

As reported by Leicester Mercury, Barnes stated that Greece's animals were well taken care of until the country suffered a recession, "When Phevos and Athena arrived at the zoo, the enclosure was not very good and I persuaded them to build a new one and things were going well...Then, three years ago, the financial crisis hit Greece and after that things changed".

Brink described, "This tiger has been living in deplorable conditions for years...We were his last hope and finally he will get the care he needs," according to San Diego 6.