King Kong Zoological Park
Charlene Salzer, Mary Elder, and Martha Buffington v. King Kong Zoo, and John Curtis
In 2014 the Animal Legal Defense Fund brought a lawsuit against the King Kong Zoological Park, an unaccredited roadside zoo in Murphy, North Carolina, for violating the state's animal cruelty laws.
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In 2014, the Animal Legal Defense Fund brought a lawsuit against the King Kong Zoological Park, an unaccredited roadside zoo in Murphy, North Carolina. The lawsuit alleged that King Kong’s inhumane treatment of its captive animals violated North Carolina’s state animal cruelty laws.
Bears, tigers and a chimpanzee named Archie were confined to small, near-empty enclosures with concrete floors where they were deprived of company and mental and physical stimulation. Their bodies and minds deteriorated in this environment.
Shortly after the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s lawsuit was filed, King Kong Zoo voluntarily closed its doors. We tried to help place King Kong Zoo’s animals at sanctuaries, but the zoo ignored our efforts and most were sold to other roadside zoos.
In January 2015, Archie the chimpanzee tragically died in a fire at Hollywild, another roadside zoo, in South Carolina – Hollywild had been repeatedly cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Animal Welfare Act violations prior to the fire.
A consent decree was entered into in 2017, prohibiting King Kong’s owner from owning or working with any wild, nonnative or exotic animals for 15 years.
Recent News
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Exposing Animal Abusers: Update on the Animal Welfare Blackout
In early 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) purged tens of thousands of important documents related to animal welfare from the agency’s website. The purged inspection reports documented violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA).September 18, 2019 News -
Animal Legal Defense Fund Sends Notice of Intent to Sue Wisconsin Roadside Zoo
Endangered animals including lions, tigers, and gray wolves suffer in squalid conditions at Special Memories Zoo.September 10, 2019 Press Release -
Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Lawsuit Challenging USDA Secrecy on Animal Welfare Act Records
Animal protection coalition wins important victory in fight to restore animal welfare databasesAugust 29, 2019 Press Release
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Say 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.