Target: Ray Tierney, Suffolk County District Attorney, Suffolk County, New York
Goal: Seek a thorough criminal investigation and, if supported by evidence, maximum lawful penalties and animal-ownership bans for personnel allegedly responsible for horrific neglect and abuse of animals at a taxpayer-funded zoo.
Local officials voted to close a taxpayer-funded zoo after a torrent of allegations that animals suffered shocking mistreatment. Sources allege a mountain lion was allowed to drown. A rooster named Larry allegedly had staph infections cut from his feet without anesthesia. A bear called Honey was reportedly left with rotting teeth in a cramped enclosure and blasted with a high-powered hose. A duck named Nessy was allegedly left without timely treatment for lead poisoning. The facility’s roughly 100 animals are set for relocation after funding was cut.
These accounts describe conditions that would violate basic care standards. Critics allege chronic understaffing, failing infrastructure, and indifference to pain. The facility was run by a municipal department not designed to meet modern animal-care requirements. If these reports are accurate, individuals who enabled or committed cruelty should face meaningful consequences under New York law.
Accountability deters future harm and honors the animals who purportedly suffered. An independent criminal review is essential. This petition urges the Suffolk County District Attorney to investigate every credible allegation and to pursue the strongest appropriate charges, restitution for care, and long animal-ownership prohibitions where evidence warrants.
PETITION LETTER:
District Attorney Tierney,
Local officials shuttered a public zoo after disturbing allegations of animal mistreatment emerged. Reports claim a mountain lion drowned. A rooster named Larry allegedly had staph infections cut from his feet without anesthesia. A bear called Honey was apparently left with rotting teeth in a tiny enclosure and sprayed with a high-powered hose. A duck named Nessy was allegedly not treated promptly for lead poisoning. About 100 animals are now slated for transfer to other facilities.
These accounts, if substantiated, depict apparent criminal cruelty and neglect. The public trusted this facility to protect animals who could not survive on their own. Instead, multiple species were reportedly subjected to pain, fear, and deprivation.
We respectfully ask your office to open a full criminal investigation into these allegations. Where evidence supports it, please file the most serious applicable charges, seek restitution for veterinary care and rehabilitation, and request long bans on animal ownership and custodial authority. Robust enforcement will protect animals and send a clear message that alleged cruelty in any setting will meet swift consequences.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Shahzaib Damn Cruze
