Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia.Photo:Linda Davidson/Getty
Linda Davidson/Getty
According toThe Roanoke Times,an affidavit states that a CI claimed to police that a person working with elephants at the zoo had told him to “always jab them where bone is close to flesh. Make it count." The person allegedly further stated, “I’m not her friend, I’m her boss and you gain respect through fear,” according to the affidavit.
The CI also detailed the elephant’s “substandard” living conditions and shared information about the conditions of other animals, including a zebra that had allegedly been given medication that was expired and prescribed for another animal,The Roanoke Timesreports, citing the affidavit.
Mario Williams, the attorney representing zoo owners, Karl and Pamela Mogensen, told PEOPLE on Monday that while a civil forfeiture hearing is scheduled for 10 days from now, his clients were not given substantial time to put up a defense. He added that 60 days would be an appropriate amount of time and plans to file a lawsuit.
“In my professional opinion, based on the violations of due process of the legal norms, this is not an attempt at saying ‘Hey, we’re putting animal welfare at the top of the charts to protect against.’ This is an attempt to close private zoos because you have an ideological distaste for them,” he said.
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In 2022, the zoo was cited again, this time, over “its failure to have direct control” of Asha when she was being forced to give rides to visitors. “The inspector noted that photographs revealed Asha’s ‘handler’ standing far away from her—at times, not even visible in the frame,” the release states.
According toits website, Natural Bridge Zoo “is and always has been privately owned” and has been operating since 1972. It is currently closed for the season.
source: people.com
