Rescued Oklahoma tigers get care in California and new home

Lola the tiger gets X-rayed before her exam and dental procedure by a veterinarian team at the Oakland Zoo in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, July 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Two neglected tigers rescued from a long-shuttered roadside Oklahoma tourist attraction are starting new lives more than 1,000 miles away at California’s Oakland Zoo after receiving much-needed medical treatment.

The female tigers who are now named Lola and Mia were rescued in June from the Oklahoma site that was closed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for multiple animal safety and welfare violations.

A concerned citizen alerted the Oakland Zoo that there were underfed big cats still living in small cages at the shuttered roadside zoo without proper care.

The animals are receiving medical care and regaining their strength before they move to Oakland Zoo’s newly remodeled tiger exhibit.