Target: Thomas J. Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture
Goal: Demand the USDA do more to protect animals, like the 460 wild tigers, monkeys, and others reportedly abused at the Waccatee Zoo.
The Waccatee Zoo in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has been dubbed “the worst roadside zoo in the United States.” This zoo allegedly confined over 460 wild animals to small enclosures and poor conditions. Undercover investigators at the location reported tigers completely missing hair and with curved spines, and monkeys unable to even open their eyes.
Recently, the USDA had apparently fined the Waccatee Zoo for six violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Included among these violations were the alleged failure to provide veterinary care to injured and sick animals and to provide animals with clean and sanitary water receptacles.
Still, the animals were left in the custody of an apparently irresponsible, greedy owner for an additional two years after initial discoveries of the reported abuse and neglect. In addition, the Waccatee Zoo is accused of having long violated the federal Endangered Species Act. A lawsuit filed by PETA alleges that it has received over 150 complaints from the public about this zoo.
Sign this petition to demand the USDA enact more effective policies for confiscating animals from abusive situations and for prosecuting those responsible for inflicting pain upon these amazing creatures.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Vilsack,
More than two years after initial animal welfare violation reports, the Waccatee Zoo in South Carolina has reportedly been shut down. Owners of this apparently abusive facility had allegedly repeatedly failed to adequately provide animals with basic necessities–such as clean water and veterinary care–and had even been fined by the USDA on several occasions before they eventually closed of their own accord. The USDA was very well aware of the cruelty these animals were reportedly subjected to, and let them apparently suffer for years without ever trying to confiscate the animals or remove the owners’ animal-owning license.
We are asking you, Mr. Vilsack, to demand the USDA do more to protect animals in bad situations, such as the 460 wild tigers, monkeys, and other animals they failed at the Waccatee Zoo.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Nom d’util
Ban roadside zoos. Better yet ban all zoos as they profit from the avaricious incarceration of animals. No facility really cares for their charges and too many of these abusive venues exist. We can seek entertainment at humane sanctuaries where critters live in more natural settings and the public may interact with them.
And if morons stopped going to these vile places this would not happen.
Just like in North Carolina these animals will never get justice.
Give them a better life in the open sanctuary than in cages
The USDA fails these animals ALL THE TIME! I have followed the atrocities of Waccatee Zoo since around 2015! Even filing complaints, signing countless petitions. The fines the USDA levies are no more than a slap on the wrist. The next inspection is just the same old, same old crap!!
USDA needs to do better enforcement or be revamped all together cause they are not doing their job nor protecting the animals. Enough is enough.
These animals should all be sent to safe sanctuaries today. The owner clearly has had time to provide proper habitats and vet care. As he has not done so time is up, the animals should not be left to suffer like this.
Disgusting and cruel!!!
Stop this roadside zoo and all the rest of them for that matter.
Please help the animals!!!!
There is so much space in the USA that many more sanctuaries should be created allowing animals to run free in a more natural habitat and doing away with Roadside zoos for good. Especially if the Authorities cannot control these zoos with regular veterinary inspections to make sure that all the different species have enough room to walk, jump and play and adequate food and daily care.With so many complaints from the Public you would think this situation would have been resolved a long time ago.
The USDA never does anything. It is a useless body of people getting a wage for doing nothing.
Also who are the stupid ignorant people who pay to see this abuse. If you want to show your kids wild animals take them to an accredited sanctuary where they will see how beautiful they really are.
Roadside zoos are an abomination.
The USDA is an extremely incompetently run government agency. Someone other must be put in charge. Someone who has the interest of the ANIMALS at heart!
SHUT DOWN permanently ALL these awful disgusting zoos that torture innocent animals! NOW!
Nobody has any right to profit from any beings pain and suffering!!!
Save all the animals …send them to a safe sanctuary…it is the RIGHT thing to do.
Let these emotional living beings live their lives as intended and in peace as we want for our own lives. The imprisonment, experimentation, the abuse/torture physically and mentally must stop. Do not support such atrocities.
How many times are the USDA going to be mentioned? What the hell are they doing? So many cases of animal cruelty, it is starting to look very
Suspicious. Are these so called officials taking back handers to turn a blind eye? What else can it be for Gods sake. They need to be ripped to pieces and investigated big time.
PLEASE STOP SND BAN ALL CRUELTY, ALL ABUSIVE, AND ALL TORTURE TO EXOCTIC AS WELL AS ALL OTHER ANIMALS TOO IMMEDIATELY!!! ALL THESE CRUEL, ABUSIVE, TORTUROUS IDIOTS SHOUKD SUFFER EXACT LIKE ALL THESE INNOCENT ANIMALS HAVE!!!!!@
Humans suck!
NEGLECTING ANIMALS is a CRIME!
The USDA are you animal-haters or sadistic psychopaths watching this horror and doing nothing about it!?!!!!!!
WHY THE HELL IS NOTHING EVER DONE ABOUT THESE ROADSIDE HELLHOLES?!?!! I CONSTANTLY read/hear about news stories that say “XYZ Crappy Zoo has been cited X number of times over X number of months for animal neglect and abuse”. . .but NOTHING ever gets done and these motherfucking owners are allowed to go about business. Why do officials even give out citations if they’re not going to do a goddamn thing about it?!?!!!
Ban all Zoos!!
No living being should ever be allowed to live a life of abuse and torture. That is what these roadside zoo are a tortured life for innocent helpless animals. Shut them down Now!!
It is appalling and sickening that animals are allowed to be kept under such conditions. Something needs to be done URGENTLY to ban these dreadful roadside zoos. It is criminal to do this to any animal.
How are roadside zoos even legal? People can use YouTube to see animals in the wild now. Wild animals do not need to be in captivity no longer!