By Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder
The United States Department of Agriculture investigated claims of neglect and abuse at the Natural Bridge Zoo. The USDA released the results of the four-day inspection conducted in January that cites 31 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
The report says there are 35 animals in need of veterinary care as well as problems with sanitization, food storage and animal enclosures.
The Humane Society, which released the details of its own investigation over two weeks ago, continues to urge the USDA to revoke the zoo’s license. The USDA has yet to take legal action.
Last week, The Rockbridge Report talked to Natural Bridge Zoo owner Karl Mogensen. He challenged the Humane Society accusations about his zoo. He called the Humane Society a “parasitic organization” that lies about animal abuse to get donations. The animal rights organization says its findings resulted from a months-long undercover investigation of the zoo. An official with the state Humane Society chapter says the organization filed reports with the state and federal Departments of Agriculture, state Attorney General’s office, state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and with local law enforcement.
Here is the video story reported last week, before new citations from the USDA.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCqRb7uGXB8]