End Animal Abuse at Natural Bridge Zoo
End Animal Abuse at Natural Bridge Zoo
The Issue
Undercover footage and a USDA investigation have revealed horrific abuses at a roadside zoo in Virginia. Natural Bridge Zoo violated dozens of federal regulations protecting captive animals and fostered a culture of neglect and violence that goes beyond a few isolated incidents. Lack of veterinary care, filthy living conditions, and intentional harassment of animals by zoo staff were just a few of the issues that were uncovered. We call on the USDA to close Natural Bridge Zoo and relocate the animals to sanctuaries.
The atrocities came to light thanks to an undercover investigation done by the Humane Society followed by the USDA inspection in January. What they discovered is graphic and heartbreaking. Guinea pigs were “euthanized” by slamming them against concrete. A capuchin monkey died when rat poison was placed too close to its enclosure. Neglect resulted in the death of a pregnant giraffe and baby camel. These are just a few of the cruel and unnecessary deaths documented at Natural Bridge Zoo.
Life is not much better for the animals who manage to survive. The USDA found 35 creatures in need of medical attention. Photos showed a macaque who went weeks without treatment for a wound that ran clear to his bone. A baby monkey and its mother were jabbed with a rod and, once captured, slammed to the ground. Animal habitats were deemed filthy and uninhabitable. An elephant, one of the most social species on earth, hadn't seen another of her kind in nearly a decade. The evidence goes on, making it clear that Natural Bridge Zoo cannot be entrusted to care for animals.
How do zoo officials respond? The zoo's owner dismissed powerful photos and videos captured by The Humane Society, telling one local paper, “You can always take a bad picture.”
Luckily, the images and report say it all. Natural Bridge Zoo is a nightmare for the creatures trapped in it, and it’s time for authorities to shut it down for good. Please join me in calling for the USDA to close the Natural Bridge Zoo and relocate the animals to sanctuaries. Please sign and share the petition today. Thank You.
The Issue
Undercover footage and a USDA investigation have revealed horrific abuses at a roadside zoo in Virginia. Natural Bridge Zoo violated dozens of federal regulations protecting captive animals and fostered a culture of neglect and violence that goes beyond a few isolated incidents. Lack of veterinary care, filthy living conditions, and intentional harassment of animals by zoo staff were just a few of the issues that were uncovered. We call on the USDA to close Natural Bridge Zoo and relocate the animals to sanctuaries.
The atrocities came to light thanks to an undercover investigation done by the Humane Society followed by the USDA inspection in January. What they discovered is graphic and heartbreaking. Guinea pigs were “euthanized” by slamming them against concrete. A capuchin monkey died when rat poison was placed too close to its enclosure. Neglect resulted in the death of a pregnant giraffe and baby camel. These are just a few of the cruel and unnecessary deaths documented at Natural Bridge Zoo.
Life is not much better for the animals who manage to survive. The USDA found 35 creatures in need of medical attention. Photos showed a macaque who went weeks without treatment for a wound that ran clear to his bone. A baby monkey and its mother were jabbed with a rod and, once captured, slammed to the ground. Animal habitats were deemed filthy and uninhabitable. An elephant, one of the most social species on earth, hadn't seen another of her kind in nearly a decade. The evidence goes on, making it clear that Natural Bridge Zoo cannot be entrusted to care for animals.
How do zoo officials respond? The zoo's owner dismissed powerful photos and videos captured by The Humane Society, telling one local paper, “You can always take a bad picture.”
Luckily, the images and report say it all. Natural Bridge Zoo is a nightmare for the creatures trapped in it, and it’s time for authorities to shut it down for good. Please join me in calling for the USDA to close the Natural Bridge Zoo and relocate the animals to sanctuaries. Please sign and share the petition today. Thank You.
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Petition created on February 28, 2015