Humane law enforcement investigators at Lollypop Farm have charged an animal exhibitor in Wayne County after they confiscated hundreds of animals earlier this week.
Sally Reaves, executive director of World of Wildlife Educational Encounters in Marion, faces a misdemeanor charge of failure to provide proper food and drink.
Working with state and federal agencies, Lollypop Farm humane investigators say they found nearly 800 animals including mice, rats, ferrets and rabbits, living in what they call inhumane conditions.
“The conditions these animals were discovered in were unsanitary and inhumane. Soiled, 10-gallon terrariums were discovered each with over 100 mice living crammed together,” said Reno Di Domenico, Vice President for Humane Law Enforcement at Lollypop farm. He said that the ammonia levels due to the animal waste made it difficult for the staff working with the animals, but they were able to safely remove them.
The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are assisting with the investigation. Some of the exotic animals were handed off to the DEC.
Reaves has been ordered to appear in Marion town Court on April 6. Officials with Lollypop Farm said that if convicted, Reaves could face up to a $1,000 fine and/or up to one year in prison.
A statement on the World of Wildlife Educational Encounters website said that they are “devastated with the recent seizure” of some of their animals who have acted “as animal ambassadors” in their wildlife programs through the years.
The statement claims that animals seized by the DEC were removed due to an error in licensing paperwork, and not due to their living conditions.
The wildlife exhibitor said that they are working “to get everything corrected and have our animals safely returned to us.”
