skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

As climate change conference opens, one CA city takes action; More hostages released as Israel-Hamas truce deadline approaches; WV could lose hundreds of millions in Medicaid funding.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

An expulsion vote looms for Rep. George Santos, the Ohio Supreme Court dismisses lawsuits against district maps and the Supreme Court hears a case which could cut the power of federal agencies.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Congress has iced the Farm Bill, but farmer advocates argue some portions are urgent, the Hoosier State is reaping big rewards from wind and solar, and opponents react to a road through Alaska's Brooks Range, long a dream destination for hunters and anglers.

Undercover Probe at VA Roadside Zoo: Abuse, Neglect, Public Danger

play audio
Play

Friday, January 23, 2015   

NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. - Abuse, neglect and unsanitary conditions are just a few of the terms used to describe the scene at a roadside zoo in Natural Bridge.

The Humane Society of the United States says it conducted an undercover investigation at Natural Bridge Zoo, which displays exotic animals - primates, bears and tigers. Wayne Pacelle, the society's president and chief executive, said the investigation revealed what he calls an "alarming number" of animal-welfare violations.

"Animals living in filth, animals denied adequate nutrition, animals who were manhandled, animals who were abused and harmed," Pacelle said. "This is all at odds with the normal standards of the professional zoological community."

Pacelle said the investigation included videotaping and took place from May through October, and some animals died during that time as a result of alleged neglect and lack of veterinary care. The zoo breeds tiger cubs and takes them away from their mothers when they are far too young for public interaction, he said. The zoo charges for "photo ops" with the cubs, and Pacelle said investigators even saw toddlers being allowed to interact with them.

"We believe it's inherently dangerous for the public to interact with these animals," he said. "It undermines the welfare of the animals and public safety, and does nothing to advance principles of conservation of endangered species."

The society filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prohibit public contact with big cats, primates and bears. Pacelle said this roadside zoo is one of 84 around the nation and is not to be confused with zoos that are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The Humane Society of the United States has filed complaints with local, state and federal authorities, Pacelle said, and would like to see the zoo's exhibitor license revoked. Calls for comments from Natural Bridge Zoo have gone unanswered for this story.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The Economic Policy Institute found the number of child labor law violations increased from 1,012 in 2015 to 3,876 in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A bill in Congress with a Connecticut House sponsor aims to reduce child labor in the United States. Called the "Children Harmed in Life-Threatening …


Social Issues

play sound

As the opioid crisis continues, more New Hampshire grandparents are seeking financial help to raise their grandchildren. Already struggling with the …

Social Issues

play sound

As of Jan. 1, insulin will become a lot more affordable for many Nebraskans, and those who have come to rely on telehealth visits are more likely to …


Extremes of hot and cold weather have taken their toll on a concrete barrier along Binghamton's Riverwalk. Concrete crumbles between the stones of the wall in upstate New York. (Chet Wiker/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Some state and local lawmakers are on a long list calling on New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to require big oil companies to help offset the costs of …

Environment

play sound

Utilities and government agencies in the U.S. are carrying out plans to transition to cleaner electricity sources. To avoid being left behind…

More than 45,000 Washingtonians are diagnosed with diabetes each year, according to estimates. (Chinnapong/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

November has been Diabetes Awareness Month - but heading into the holidays, people who are diabetic know they can't lose their focus on keeping it in …

Environment

play sound

Conservation groups are celebrating a long-fought battle to protect the dwindling population of wolverine in the Northwest and northern Rockies…

Environment

play sound

As world leaders gather in Dubai for the international conference on climate change, the City of Long Beach is acting on multiple fronts to help the …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021