PETA Statement: Lawsuit Against Dade City’s Wild Things to Proceed

For Immediate Release:
January 17, 2019

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Below, please find a statement from PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet in response to today’s ruling by Judge Charlene Honeywell denying Dade City’s Wild Things’ (DCWT) motion to dismiss PETA’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) lawsuit, which contends that prematurely separating tiger cubs from their mothers, forcing cubs to swim with paying members of the public, and failing to provide tigers with adequate housing and care violate the ESA’s prohibition on harming or harassing protected wildlife:

This ruling means that notorious Dade City’s Wild Things will have to answer for its decision to send 19 tigers on an 18-hour journey without temperature control or water, which proved deadly for three newborn cubs. PETA will now go full steam ahead with its suit seeking to ensure that the roadside zoo is barred from ever owning or possessing another tiger again.

PETA’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment,” and more information about the group’s lawsuit against DCWT is available here.