Lollypop Farm has had to take in several hundred animals this week after an investigation involving an animal exhibitor.
Reno Di Domenico is Vice President for Humane Law Enforcement at Lollypop Farm, and he said that on Monday, investigators had to confiscate more than 500 animals, many of them small animals like rodents and rabbits, after an investigation that had been going on for some time.
The investigation also involves the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation.
Officials are not yet identifying who was keeping these animals, except to say it involved a woman who operates an animal exhibition business.
Di Domenico said that when investigators got to one of the buildings on the property this week, they found unsanitary conditions, so they removed the animals to Lollypop Farm, at least for now.
“When we went out there, we found one building, very unsanitary and had a high level of ammonia in it due to the animal waste,” said Di Domenico. “So we removed a large number of animals from that building.”
Di Domenico said the local facility is in need of donations to help care for the animals.
“Particularly hay and bedding for the animals. Most of these animals are rabbits and rats and mice, so we need a lot of bedding and food for them,” said Di Domenico.
There’s more information at the Lollypop Farm websiteon how to make donations.
Di Domenico said this case is still under investigation and he said there could be charges filed. But he also said it is possible that if the woman who was keeping the animals can improve the situation at her business it’s possible some of the animals may eventually be returned to her.
