Abusive Roadside Zoo’s License Suspended

Woody’s Menagerie Faces at Least 90 Days of Shutdown, One Year of Probation Over Numerous Animal-Welfare Violations

For Immediate Release:
October 25, 2016

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Following numerous complaints from PETA and a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) over the alleged failure of Woody’s Menagerie to ensure adequate veterinary care for animals, several of whom later died, the USDA has suspended the roadside zoo’s exhibitor license for a minimum of 90 days.

The USDA’s order, which just became publicly available, states that the license will remain suspended until Woody’s Menagerie can prove that it is no longer in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA)—and even after its license is restored, the roadside zoo will remain under probation for a year. It has also been ordered to pay an undisclosed fine.

“This license suspension is an important first step toward putting a stop the chronic and apparently deadly neglect of animals by Woody’s Menagerie,” says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet. “PETA looks forward to seeing this deplorable roadside zoo shut down permanently and the animals sent to reputable sanctuaries.”

The USDA has cited numerous AWA violations at Woody’s Menagerie. A visibly ailing goat was allegedly confined to a trailer for nine days before the roadside zoo notified a veterinarian, and the animal died two days later from pneumonia. A tiger reportedly suffered from small, black, hairless lesions all over her body for over four months without being seen by a veterinarian. A female bear suffered from gashes and injuries on her paws without being seen by a veterinarian, and a young male lion with treatable conditions wasn’t given any veterinary care. Instead, he was shot, and his body was sold to a local weightlifter.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—has filed numerous complaints with the USDA over even more allegations of abuse and neglect at Woody’s Menagerie, including a bear cub who appeared extremely stressed and was heard throwing his body against the walls of a transport carrier and breathing loudly.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.