Care Bear and Shortcake had been underweight, plagued with power pores and skin points, and had misplaced patches of fur. The black bears had been struggling mentally, too, with little to do however tempo in a cramped, barren cage day after day at South Carolina’s Waccatee Zoo, which PETA dubbed “the worst roadside zoo within the US.”
However after a hard-fought PETA marketing campaign and a game-changing lawsuit, Care Bear, Shortcake, and different animals had been rescued from their depressing jail cells and despatched to The Wild Animal Refuge in Colorado. Protected ultimately, they’ll relish the wide-open areas, discover, play, take refreshing dips of their new pool (for the bears) and expertise the enjoyment they’ve lengthy been denied.
And the Waccatee hellhole? It’s historical past. Right here’s the within story:
Proper – © The Wild Animal RefugeBaboons, Birds, and Others Wallowed in Slime
Very similar to the archaic “insane asylums” that had been deemed inhumane, Waccatee confined many animals to extraordinarily small areas with little to do. Many cages had uncovered nails, rotten floorboards, and slimy resting platforms. Even in below-freezing temperatures, animals had been discovered with out ample bedding and had no important constructions to guard them from the weather.
Some animals had been left with nothing to do all day and just about no alternative to socialize with others, driving them to despair. Baboons, who’re pure mischief-makers and luxuriate in tumbling about with their troops, had been saved alone in small cages at Waccatee. A baboon named Lil Trix obsessively rocked forwards and backwards, and one other named Good-looking spent his days rolling his head and delivering circles in his cramped area – each repetitive actions clear indicators of misery.
A lion named Simba had suffered for years with extreme weak point and lack of coordination in his rear legs, seemingly attributable to malnutrition or sickness. Parrots plucked themselves uncooked from extreme psychological misery, and uncared for zebus, goats, aoudads, and llamas had been discovered with overgrown hooves, which may trigger ache and problem strolling. Animals had been denied veterinary therapy for bleeding lesions, crusty scabs, wheezing, and lameness. And Sha Sha, a pig-tailed macaque, suffered from an inappropriately handled ocular situation and will barely open her eyes.
Proper – © The Wild Animal RefugeHow the Nightmare Ended
PETA campaigned arduous towards Waccatee, operating advert blitzes urging individuals to remain away, alerting authorities to criminally neglectful situations, and calling for USDA investigations and the roadside zoo’s closure. But regardless of racking up greater than 100 federal Animal Welfare Act violations, Waccatee stayed in enterprise, cashing in on each ticket vacationers purchased.
However lastly, a breakthrough: Two guests had been so appalled by the situations at Waccatee that they joined PETA to file a civil lawsuit towards the ability and its operators, alleging violations of each the federal Endangered Species Act and the state’s public nuisance legislation. This prompted Waccatee to shut to the general public.
Not lengthy after the go well with was filed, PETA realized that Waccatee was secretly shifting animals to different decrepit services. PETA filed an emergency court docket movement to ban the remaining animals from being transferred out. The court docket granted the request, and PETA acquired the 9 remaining captive animals out of there ceaselessly.
A New Life
Each one of many rescued animals is now secure and has entry to applicable veterinary care. And extra excellent news: PETA and Waccatee reached a settlement that can hold the roadside zoo completely closed and blocks Waccatee’s operators from proudly owning or exhibiting unique animals (except for free roaming peacocks already on the property), breeding animals for revenue, or working at different roadside zoos ever once more!
