
Challenging the Treatment of Animals at Farmers Inn
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Lucas
In 2018 the Animal Legal Defense Fund sent a notice of intent to sue Farmers Inn, a roadside zoo in Sigel, Pennsylvania, for violations of the Endangered Species Act and state public nuisance standards based on violations of state wildlife protection laws.
Next Step
Discovery is ongoing
In August 2018, the Animal Legal Defense Fund served Farmers Inn, a Pennsylvania roadside zoo, with a notice of intent to sue. Farmers Inn maintains endangered animals, including a ring-tailed lemur, black leopard, and gray wolves, as well as other wild animals in illegal conditions. The letter identified violations of the Endangered Species Act and state wildlife regulations.
The ring-tailed lemur, named Queen Louise, is kept alone in a tiny, squalid enclosure without adequate food or water. Her housing is grossly inadequate for her species’ needs. Lemurs are highly social animals that live in large troops and travel long distances in the wild. Farmers Inn keeps all its animals, including black bears, multiple species of fox, white-tailed deer, a binturong, a bobcat, and an African gray parrot, in filthy, small cages that do not provide sufficient protection from the heat and cold.
The two black bears, Jack and Jill, are kept in small enclosures – little more than steel cages with concrete floors. In their natural environment, bears swim, climb, and dig. Jack and Jill are unable to perform any of these activities in the manner they would in a more naturalistic environment. The bears were recently observed lying motionless in their cage, suffering from apparent heat distress, on a day when the temperature was well past 90 degrees. Additionally, some of the animals appear sick or injured. For example, there have been observations of an emaciated goat, a kinkajou named Monkey Man with a severely injured eye, and two foxes with hair loss, indicative of untreated mange. Visitors also noted turtles kept in a dirty “pond.”
During litigation, a Scarlet Macaw was added to the Endangered Species Act claim after Farmers Inn acquired the bird. It is the first known Endangered Species Act claim brought on behalf of a captive bird protected by the statute.
An estimated 30 animals have died at Farmers Inn since the summer of 2018. Farmers Inn euthanized the kinkajou in 2019 as well as a black leopard named Russell in June 2020. The letter to Farmers Inn offered to rehome all the animals to appropriate sanctuaries.
Recent News
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Animal Protection Group Sends Notice of Intent to Sue to Pennsylvania Roadside Zoo
The Animal Legal Defense Fund sent notice to Farmers Inn in Sigel, Pennsylvania declaring its intent to sue the roadside zoo for maintaining animals in squalid conditions in violation of the Endangered Species Act and state wildlife protection laws.August 7, 2018 Press Release -
Animal Legal Defense Fund Files Lawsuit to Protect the Endangered Species Act
Lawsuit alleges the government has unlawfully weakened protections for threatened and endangered speciesOctober 22, 2019 Press Release -
Endangered Species Act: How It’s Helping Captive Animals 2019
In 2016, the Animal Legal Defense Fund became the first to successfully use the Endangered Species Act on behalf of captive animals held at Cricket Hollow Zoo in Iowa.February 25, 2019 Webinar
Related Cases
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Challenging Cricket Hollow Zoos Treatment of Endangered Lions (2016)
Animal Legal Defense Fund v Tom and Pamela Sellner
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Challenging Cricket Hollow Zoo’s Care of Endangered Species (2014)
Animal Legal Defense Fund v Tom and Pamela Sellner
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See MoreSay No to Roadside Zoos
Bears, lions, and other animals languish in roadside zoos across the country. Animals live in cruel conditions, confined to small cages without the enrichment they need to lead full, happy lives. Protect animals by boycotting roadside zoos.