San Diego Sanctuary Rescues Two Animals From Roadside Zoo After PETA Lawsuit
PETA encourages people to avoid roadside zoos, where animals are exploited for entertainment and profit and are denied of basic essentials like nutrition and shelter, Peet said.
A lack of care for a coatimundi and potbellied pig raised concerns among residents, leading to a lawsuit by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Foundation in 2022 against Waccatee, a roadside zoo in South Carolina.
This month, Lions Tigers & Bears, a San Diego animal sanctuary accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, rescued and took in the animals.
Having relationships with accredited animal sanctuaries throughout the country, PETA is able to connect with them about finding animals a home.
“When we reached out [to Lions Tigers & Bears] about the coatimundi and potbellied pig, they were happy to help,” Peet said.
Waccatee failed to provide the animals with appropriate shelter, nutrition and did not clean the enclosures, according to the lawsuit.
They began “secretly transferring the animals at issue” out of their facility to Zootastic Park, a roadside zoo in North Carolina when the lawsuit was filed, according to the lawsuit.
A cougar was transferred to Carolina Tiger Rescue in North Carolina, totaling the amount of animals saved by PETA from Waccatee to 12.
The lawsuit led to a settlement agreement, resulting in Waccatee closing permanently and banning its operators, Kathleen, Jeff and Austin Futrell from owning or exhibiting wild animals, breeding them for profit and working at other roadside zoos.
PETA’s Captive Animal Law Enforcement division tracks captive wildlife facilities across the country and when there’s a notice of animal violations, they gather evidence and work with law enforcement to potentially file a lawsuit, according to Brittany Peet, the division’s general counsel.
“The goal and hope for the animals [PETA] rescues is that they finally get the care that they need and deserve,” Peet said, “and we know that at accredited sanctuaries, like Lions Tigers & Bears, that’s exactly what they’ll receive.”
PETA encourages people to avoid roadside zoos, where animals are exploited for entertainment and profit and are denied of basic essentials like nutrition and shelter, Peet said.
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