Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into an Oregon safari park. The probe comes on the heels of shocking complaints regarding mistreatment of the park’s animals. The park, which has been operational since 1969, houses over 450 animals spanning 75 species. On Thursday, state police served multiple search warrants. Such an extreme step is not taken lightly and reflects the need for a renewed criminal investigation into the deplorable conditions at the facility.
That enforcement action comes more than five months after a harrowing USDA report from March 18, which detailed nine horrifying and specific egregious violations. Alarmingly, seven of these violations were identified as repeat violations, which concerned animal welfare advocates even more. A subsequent USDA report on April 1 identified four additional repeat violations, including inadequate fence height for dangerous animals and unsanitary conditions where rodent feces were discovered in animal food.
Among the most troubling findings were reports of big-game cats that had not been examined by a veterinarian for weeks. This was a really big deal for a few reasons. The recent USDA report that sparked outrage specifically found that an older lioness, older lion, and black African leopard all had reduced muscle mass, with their hips, ribs, and spine showing through their skin.
Currently, eight state agencies are channeling all their state resources into the investigation. This is the result of a deep commitment to address the problems at the park. That’s in part because the USDA report had sharply criticized the staff structure at the zoo. It noted the absence of a facility attendant in very large, open spaces where large numbers (50 – 100) of sheep, goats, llamas and deer roam freely with public interactions and hand feeding.
The crisis is now much worse than it was then. A recently rescued dead tiger that had been kept in a freezer for months. Such conditions are extremely alarming and have given rise to serious concerns regarding the handling of humane animal care at the facility. Currently, one full-time staff person cares for over 300 animals. This development should alarm all of us and raise serious questions about the adequacy of our animal welfare safeguards.
The future of the park has been under fire for months. In the past, they permitted visitors to have highly inappropriate and dangerous interactions with dangerous wildlife, such as petting a jaguar and bear. Alarmingly, a number of these have resulted in the accidental maiming and even killing of bears. These incidents are in turn driving unprecedented calls for tighter enforcement and regulation.
As the investigation continues, animal rights activists and citizens across the country are watching this case closely. Public awareness about the treatment of animals in captivity is growing. This increased public awareness has led to new conversations around animal welfare standards in safari parks across the country.