Read the original article by Ida Domingo at wset.com here.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has filed a request urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to end the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) exhibitor license held by SeaQuest.
The request hopes the USDA will at the very least, to refuse to approve the addition of the aquarium and petting zoo’s proposed in Lynchburg and elsewhere.
According to the letter, PETA points out that the USDA may terminate an AWA license and refuse to add additional sites to an existing license if the licensee has been found to have violated any federal, state, or local laws pertaining to cruelty, transportation, ownership, neglect, or welfare of animals.
The request says SeaQuest has repeatedly violated these laws.
This year alone, a SeaQuest manager in Colorado was charged with cruelty to animals after a sloth sustained serious burns to his face from a heat lamp, Colorado officials suspended the Littleton location’s state permit after a series of state law and permit violations, and SeaQuest’s Las Vegas aquarium was cited and fined $2,000 for illegally possessing four baby otters, according to the letter.
ICYMI: A SeaQuest staffer was criminally charged with cruelty-to-animals after a sloth with BURNS ON HIS FACE was allegedly deprived of veterinary care.
Who could support this cruelty? @SeaQuestUSA shopping mall animal prisons need to be shut down!
“In just a few years, SeaQuest’s rap sheet has grown to include a manager on trial for cruelty to animals and various violations of both local and state laws,” says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet. “PETA is calling on the USDA to yank this cruel petting zoo’s license.”
The SeaQuest location in Lynchburg has yet to open.
SeaQuest responded to the latest PETA allegations with a statement saying PETA has targeted their organization for a long time.
PETA has targeted SeaQuest for a long time now, and has brought to the public many inaccurate and exaggerated stories in support of their motto against animal captivity.
We have standard operating procedures in place that our team members follow as they care for the animals and support the animal experience. Two national husbandry and marine directors oversee, train, and conduct frequent inspections with managers and team members to ensure that standard operating procedures are followed at each location and that animals are happy and healthy. Each facility has a team of highly trained husbandry experts, whose work is inspected every month by a certified veterinarian who fills out a written report on the cleanliness, health, habitat, and overall performance of each husbandry department. In addition, we have routine inspections from local, state and federal regulatory agencies and fully cooperate with and are in compliance with all requirements. To suggest any of these highly capable agencies need PETA’s oversight on how to interpret regulatory compliance is short sighted at best, and a deceptive media tactic at worst.
Contrary to what PETA says, we provide a fun, safe and educational experience in all of our seven facilities for millions of guests each year. We are also a welcome community partner that, since 2016, has donated more than $1.1 million of in-kind contributions to nonprofits, school districts and community based organizations to support their efforts. In addition, we have rescued more than 400 animals, and give a free annual passport to anyone who adopts a pet from a local rescue.
We are looking forward to bring the experience to New Jersey, Virginia and Florida later this year and appreciate the support of all the community members who are excited to visit our new facilities later this fall.
