Collins Zoo
| Collins Zoo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 31°36′57″N 89°32′17″W / 31.6159659°N 89.5379305°W | |
| Date opened | 1988[1] |
| Location | Collins, Mississippi, USA |
| No. of animals | 300 |
| No. of species | 100 |
| Website | www |
The Collins Zoo, formerly the Collins Exotic Animal Orphanage, is a zoo located in Collins, Mississippi. The zoo has been closed since May 2013.[2]
History
The Collins Zoo was founded in 1986 by Gus White. The zoo has been raided several times by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.[3] MDWF&P have never won a single case against the Zoo. The last raid in 2012 was ruled unconstitutional.[4] The MDWF&P stated that the owners did not have proper permits, but several judges ruled that the owners were exempt from permits.
The zoo's USDA license was revoked in May 2013.[2] The zoo has been closed since that time.[5]
Legal issues with the State of Mississippi
In 2001, state wildlife officials raided the zoo and seized several skunks, alligators, alligator snapping turtles, bobcats, and several other species of animals indigenous to Mississippi.
In March 2010, the zoo was again raided by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and an opossum, red-eared slider turtles, and some box turtles were taken. The zoo was issued 22 citations, many for "lack of permits for inherently violent animals."[1][6]
The latest raid on January 25, 2012, included three tigers, three cougars, two leopards, two wolf hybrids, and one rhesus macaque monkey. The animals are being relocated to sanctuaries in Texas and North Carolina.[7]
Notes
- ^ a b "Mississippi Wildlife Agents Issue Citations To Collins Zoo". wapt.com. Jackson Hearst Television Inc. 24 March 2010. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ a b "Collins Zoo loses license". WAPT. 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
- ^ Wheeler, Kevin (2010-03-24). "Collins zoo raided by Department of Wildlife". wdam.com. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
- ^ "Judge rules raid on Collins zoo was unconstitutional". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
- ^ "USDA Revokes License of Mississippi Roadside Zoo : The Humane Society of the United States". www.humanesociety.org.
- ^ Wheeler, Kevin (24 March 2010). "Collins zoo raided by Department of Wildlife". lox.com. WLOX TV. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ Clarion ledger[dead link]