Exotic Animal Memorial Foundation created Big Cat Rescue Entertainment Group, Inc.[5] Big Cat Rescue Corp.,[6] an animal sanctuary based in Tampa, Florida, filed suit against them, claiming the name and logo similarities were used to damage their reputation and cause confusion;[7] the Tampa sanctuary's founder, Carole Baskin, had previously been a critic of the practices at Joe Exotic's park.

[9] Lowe, a businessman, had previously been convicted of mail fraud, and had run afoul of local authorities in Beaufort, South Carolina, in 2015 for exhibiting big cats at his liquidation store without appropriate permits.

[19] In June, the USDA found that many animals at the park were suffering from flystrike, and on August 17, the agency suspended Lowe's exhibitor's license for 21 days, alleging poor veterinary care.

Citing the incipient transfer of ownership, Lowe permanently shut down the park on August 18 rather than contesting the suspension.

[16][20] After Lowe's departure, Baskin decided to sell the property with deed restrictions prohibiting the keeping of exotic animals.

[19] Baskin found the park to be heavily vandalized with rotting meat and graffiti referencing the disappearance of Don Lewis; Lowe denied responsibility for the damage.

PETA alleged that animals were starved and "routinely hit, punched, kicked, sprayed with cold water, and struck with rakes and shovels.

[31][32] In September 2018, Exotic was indicted by a federal grand jury, and arrested by the FBI, for attempting to hire a hitman to murder Carole Baskin.

The USDA also alleged that Lowe submitted falsified veterinary records to the agency indicating approval by the park's staff veterinarian after she had resigned in 2018.

The 2020 Netflix original documentary series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness was centered on Joe Exotic.

On March 31, 2020, the Garvin County, Oklahoma sheriff said the park had closed to visitors in compliance with the governor's order to shut down nonessential business.

[17] Later in 2020, after hearing the rumors of paranormal activity at the park in the Netflix documentary, the crew of Ghost Adventures investigated here for their Halloween special.