PETA files federal lawsuit seeking to shut down Horry County’s Waccatee Zoo

One of the nation’s largest animal activist organizations is asking a federal judge to shut down Horry County’s Waccatee Zoo, saying its track record of neglect is responsible for harming hundreds of animals in its care — including several protected species.

PETA’s 62-page suit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court points to the facility’s multiple alleged federal Endangered Species Act violations and repeated complaints by zoo visitors as the basis for its request.

Zoo owner Katherine Futrell and her family are named as defendants. She could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.

“Defendants together are responsible for the operation of one of the worst roadside zoos in America,” the lawsuit says, blaming it for mistreating the more than 460 animals in its care.

“The conditions at the Defendants’ facility deprive these animals of necessities — including adequate veterinary care, shelter, food and water —they require to live without needless suffering.”

PETA vowed in December to hit Waccatee Zoo in court if its animals were not transferred within 60 days. That was followed in March by a $7,800 settlement agreement between the zoo and U.S. Department of Agriculture after regulators found six violations of the federal Endangered Species Act since 2020.

Just before Christmas, PETA cited in a 35-page letter “chronic and ongoing violations” of the federal law in caring for a chimpanzee, leopards, lions, parrots, ring-tailed lemurs, a horned owl and two tigers. Details outlined in that letter include allegations that malnutrition and neglect led to the death of the zoo’s tiger, Lila, in 2021.

In a rare move, PETA offered to cover relocation, transport and veterinary costs should Waccatee agree to cede its animals.

Now, PETA is asking for all animals to be relocated under South Carolina’s public nuisance law.

“Animals are languishing in this ramshackle roadside zoo’s cramped enclosures, where they have plucked out their own feathers, have been denied companionship, and are wasting away,” PETA Foundation Deputy General Counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet said in a statement.

“The plaintiffs look forward to bringing this hellhole before a judge and getting these long-suffering animals to reputable facilities where they will receive the care they desperately need.”

This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 12:00 AM.