Gay’s Lion Farm – El Monte

There are no actual lions left at the intersection of Peck Rd and Valley Blvd anymore, but Gay’s Lion Farm is a historical landmark in memory of an actual lion farm that operated here until 1942 when it was closed due to wartime meat shortages which I hope to God means that there wasn’t enough meat to continue feeding the lions and not that the lions were killed so people could eat them.

Either way, I would have to imagine the lions did not fare well after the closure. I mean we all saw Tiger King, those big cats weren’t being treated great in the 2000’s I can’t imagine how little regard for lion welfare there was during World War 2. May I suggest that you pay homage to the lions who once stood at this location.

Take a whole pile of edibles and see if you can summon them from the beyond. Or just, you know, have a look-see at the cool lion statue they left there in memory of the beasts. What else are you doing that’s so important, anyway? Have you no respect for animals you can’t go pay your respects? They would have gone to war for us if we knew how to train lions, I’m sure of it. The least you can do is go look at the statue.