One being the operative word, there’s no way you can love over 200 tigers, it just isn’t feasible. I’m sure you can have favorites but “love” seems out of the question. Animal welfare and capitalism are at odds either way, as soon as these people started making money off these animals they were no longer capable of distinguishing them from dollars signs.
I think they all loved animals at some point, probably not Doc Atler or Jeff, but Joe started off a lot like Carole, against cub petting and breeding and advocating for conservation in the wild. I think, like Carole, he truly believed he was doing a good thing and stuck with that narrative no matter how corrupt he became, no matter how much the care of his animals deteriorated or his own values and morals he refused to see it. All of these people have started their own little cults but they’re also drinking their own cool aid, again except Doc Atler and Jeff, I find them to be the most aware of themselves and their cons.