Southern Oregon Coast wildlife park owner arrested on drug charges; guns, $1.6M seized

Published 10:23 am Wednesday, May 28, 2025

By FEDOR ZARKHIN / The Oregonian/oregonlive.com via TNS

Veterinarians and staff with the Oregon Humane Society, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Department of Agriculture conducted a complete inventory and evaluation of the animals after police raided the wildlife park. Oregon State Police photo
Nearly two weeks after police raided West Coast Game Park Safari, the Southern Oregon zoo’s owner was arrested on suspicion of methamphetamine possession, manufacturing and attempted distribution, authorities said.

The Bandon Police Department arrested Brian Tenney, 52, around 9:15 a.m. Tuesday.

On May 15, local, state and federal officers served multiple search warrants at the wildlife park, about eight miles south of Bandon, as part of a months-long investigation. They ended up seizing more than 300 animals, including several that authorities had to euthanize.

Police also found 80 grams of methamphetamine, which led to another search of the property. That later search yielded 44 firearms, about 8 grams of cocaine and about $1.6 million in cash, cashier’s checks and bonds, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

The raid of the 21-acre Coos County wildlife park came 10 years after U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors identified “a possible pattern of personnel not performing adequate daily assessment of animal health,” federal records show.

Reports showed that inspectors documented a host of violations in the years since, including a dead tiger that was stored in a freezer with food for other animals, a visibly emaciated lion, rotten fruit in food bins and rats running around food preparation areas.

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