Over the last few weeks, we have been sharing the stories of our primate sanctuary’s newest residents, Mrs. Wilkin, Anna, Marlin, Violet and Presley, as they settle into their new lives. We are grateful to Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) for making these new lives possible, following their dedicated commitment to legal proceedings against the deplorable zoo where the five previously lived. Thanks to ALDF’s efforts, working alongside Animal Rescue League of Iowa, the zoo was closed down in late 2019 and more than 400 animals were confiscated and rehomed. Almost 100 animals remain missing, including bears, mountain lions, a camel, and multiple other animals, and the former zoo operators have refused to disclose their location. As a result, ALDF has filed for contempt of court in order to locate and rescue the animals, as mandated in the original court order.
The concerns relating to the treatment of the animals at the zoo date back many years, with ALDF stating:
“The lawsuit, brought in 2018, alleged Cricket Hollow Zoo chronically violated Iowa’s public nuisance code because the zoos’ neglectful treatment of animals was unreasonably offensive to the public. The court found that the owners’ neglect of more than 300 animals was well-documented over the past decade.”
Investigators reported that animals at the zoo lived in deplorable conditions, were kept in filthy cages,and were even forced to share space with dead cage-mates, whose bodies were left to rot rather than be removed. The monkeys showed evidence of self-harm, and the animals were generally left to sit in their own excrement, without adequate food, water, or veterinary care.
One might be forgiven for thinking that the zoo was operating “under the radar,” perhaps unlicensed and that, once its indiscretions were noted, action was swiftly taken by authorities to protect the animals. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the USDA not only repeatedly granted the zoo a license in spite of the awful conditions, but it did so in full knowledge of the zoo’s repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Rather than the government agency holding the zoo to account, it was only after ALDF took legal action against the USDA that the zoo’s license was revoked. This goes to show that the possession of a license does not mean that animals are being properly cared for.
Sadly, Cricket Hollow Zoo is not the exception to the rule. While some zoos may provide larger spaces, better nutrition, and adequate veterinary care, in comparison to the awful conditions at Cricket Hollow, we firmly believe that there is no such thing as a “good zoo.” They may exist on a spectrum, and some zoos are unarguably worse than others, but anywhere were wild animals are forced to spend their lives as exhibits for paying customers will inevitably cause those animals some level of suffering. Denied their natural habitat, their natural social opportunities, their natural diet and climate, animals in zoos are forced to live a life that is not truly their own. There are thousands of zoos in the USA alone. Some of them will look very similar to Cricket Hollow and the animals’ suffering will be plain to see. In others, suffering might be seen in the subtle head-weaving of the elephants, the rocking backwards and forwards of the bears, or the obsessive pacing of the big cats; all signs of stress caused by being held captive.
Born Free USA believes that no animal should ever be denied their freedom to be held captive for their lifetime in any zoo. We believe that all animals deserve to live wild and free in their natural habitat and wish that no wild animals were held in captivity anywhere. But, for those who cannot be released into the wild, such as Mrs. Wilkin, Anna, Marlin, Violet, and Presley, our sanctuary and others like it offer safe forever homes, where the animals’ needs always come first.
You can help by making a donation to support our work at the sanctuary. Your gift will provide the monkeys with nutritious food, medical care, and enrichment, and help maintain the large, natural enclosures that the monkeys call home.
For the Monkeys,
Liz
