WASHINGTON, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action today welcomed the guilty plea by the owner of a southern Oregon wildlife park to more than 40 counts of animal neglect, calling the outcome a critical step toward accountability in the largely underregulated world of private, non-accredited zoos. Both Animal Wellness Action and Big Cat Rescue conducted prior investigations at West Coast Game Park Safari in Bandon and found problematic violations of federal laws and regulations.
The case involved widespread neglect of animals housed at the facility, prompting intervention by law enforcement and animal welfare authorities and ultimately leading to the rescue and relocation of hundreds of animals.
“This case underscores a systemic failure that allows too many substandard roadside zoos to operate without meaningful oversight,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and founder of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “Information gleaned from federal inspection reports in 2025 to 2026 reveals persistent animal abuse in U.S. private, non-accredited zoos, with violations ranging from inadequate shelter and poor veterinary care to dangerous and stressful human-animal interactions.”
“This guilty plea is an important milestone, and an indicator of the substandard treatment of exotic wildlife at disreputable zoos,” Pacelle added.
Carole Baskin, founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue, also praised the outcome: “This facility has mistreated animals for many years without consequences. As frustrating as that has been, we’re thrilled to see the state bring the abuse to an end. We enthusiastically applaud the multiple agencies, prosecutors, and law enforcement involved in this coordinated effort for the commitment and hard work required both to successfully prosecute the case and to manage a very complicated rescue and relocation of hundreds of animals.”
The organizations are urging policymakers to strengthen oversight mechanisms, enhance enforcement of existing animal welfare laws, and advance legislation aimed at ending the exploitation of wild animals in substandard captive environments. They are calling for robust enforcement of the Big Cat Public Safety Act and the Animal Welfare Act as applied to roadside zoos.