The Sloth Encounters, an Islip, Lengthy Island petting zoo has been accused of mistreating its animals by the Humane Society of the US.
The group performed an undercover investigation in November, revealing disturbing practices allegedly happening throughout the institution that supply instructional experiences with a wide range of animals, together with sloths, capybaras, and kangaroos.
Prospects at Sloth Encounters pays $50 for a half-hour session to work together with and deal with one of many seven sloths owned by the enterprise.
Nevertheless, the Humane Society’s investigation uncovered proof of workers hitting sloths with water bottles, maintaining them in cramped circumstances, and dealing with them roughly.
The report submitted to the Division of Agriculture in December accused Sloth Encounters of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act, which units laws for the care and well-being of animals in exhibitions and analysis settings.
Brian Shapiro, the New York state director of the Humane Society of the US, expressed concern over the therapy of sloths at Sloth Encounters, stating, “Sloths are shy, nocturnal, tree-dwelling animals uniquely unsuited for public interactions, but they’re being subjected to demanding dealing with by strangers nearly each day. This can be a sloth’s worst nightmare.”
The investigative report revealed that Larry Wallach, the proprietor of Sloth Encounters, has a prolonged historical past of violating the Animal Welfare Act.
Between 2010 and 2023, the U.S. Division of Agriculture cited Wallach 28 instances for varied violations, together with inflicting sloths trauma and stress, unsafe dealing with resulting in public accidents, and sustaining animals in infested and cluttered circumstances.
Wallach was beforehand concerned in a lawsuit with the City of Islip, leading to a court docket order to stop enterprise operations till correct approvals have been obtained.
Fines imposed for non-compliance stay unpaid.
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This article by Trinity Sparke was first revealed by One Inexperienced Planet on 16 January 2024. Picture Credit score :ChisholmJA/Shutterstock.
