Judge rules Cricket Hollow lemurs, tigers will be transferred to Midwest zoos

A federal magistrate recently ruled that the owners of Cricket Hollow Zoo in Manchester, who lost a federal lawsuit over the mistreatment and trafficking of protected animals and were required to transfer the lemurs and tigers to another facility, will be allowed to place the animals at zoos they recommended.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund, the California animal rights group that won the lawsuit, also made suggestions.

But U.S. Chief Magistrate Jon Scoles chose the facilities suggested by the Manchester owners, Pam and Tom Sellner.

Scoles said Special Memories Zoo in Greenville, Wis., and the Exotic Feline Rescue Center near Centerpoint, Ind., are federally licensed and 'capable of meeting the needs” of the endangered species.

The three lemurs will go to Greenville and the four tigers to Centerpoint.

Pam Sellner told the judge at a May hearing that she wanted to keep the tigers in a Midwest facility, and said the facilities in Wisconsin and Indiana had experienced staff and appropriate enclosures for the animals.

One of the California group's proposed sanctuaries for the lemurs wasn't licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which Scoles said was a concern because it wouldn't be subject to regular inspections.

Facilities suggested for the tigers by the Sellners and the Defense Fund were both licensed by the USDA but operated differently. Scoles noted the Exotic Feline Rescue Center houses more than 200 large cats in 90 shaded enclosures, as opposed to Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colo., which houses more than 420 tigers, lions, bears, wolves and other large animals in large, treeless enclosures.

The Sellners have 30 days after the June 17 order to safely transport the animals to the two sites.

In his 73-page ruling in February, Scoles said the Sellners' violations are 'pervasive, long-standing, and ongoing,” and if the endangered animals were not removed, then the violations likely would continue.

The Defense Fund brought the lawsuit on behalf of five Iowans who had visited the zoo and were 'distressed about the poor health and welfare of the animals.” The organization also received support from Elisabeth Holmes, an attorney with Blue River Law in Eugene, Ore.

Scoles also said in the ruling that the social isolation, lack of environmental enrichment and inadequate sanitation provided to the lemurs violated the Endangered Species Act.

In addition, the tigers were 'harmed” by the failure to provide adequate veterinary care and were 'harassed” by the failure to provide adequate sanitation, Scoles noted.

Pam Sellner testified at trial that some of the violations were inconsistent and unfair, but said most of them were corrected anyway.

The Defense Fund filed a notice in March to again sue the Sellners for the 'retirement to sanctuary” of the zoo's three lions, which were classified as an endangered species in December. Officials are willing to pay for the lions' removal to accredited sanctuaries if the Sellners agree to negotiate the deal before legal action goes forward.

This lawsuit is pending.