The Iowa Supreme Court’s decision came three years to the day after a group of Iowans, assisted by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, filed a lawsuit against the zoo’s owners, Pamela and Thomas Sellner, alleging numerous violations of Iowa’s animal neglect laws.
The ruling this week in the contempt-of-court case against Pamela and Thomas Sellner comes three days after the Iowa Supreme Court declined to review a lower court decision in the case that led to zoo’s closure in 2019.
Police arrested a Cedar Rapids couple last week on multiple counts of animal neglect, after eight animals were found living in dismal conditions.
Arrests in animal cases are up so far this year on Cedar Rapids, figures show.
Authorities are investigating two separate incidents of possible animal abuse after seven chickens and 13 guinea pigs were discarded in two separate incidents. Six of the seven chickens were alive, but the guinea pigs were dead.
A 7-year-old orange tabby cat that was tossed into the Cedar River Monday from the Third Avenue Bridge is recovering at Cedar Rapids Animal Care and Control.
The Humane Society calls out 11 dog breeding businesses in Iowa
© 2025 The Gazette | All Rights Reserved.
Daily Newsletters