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CORPUS CHRISTI ZOOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION ADMITS
ANIMAL WELFARE ACT VIOLATIONS
RIVERDALE, Md., Nov. 13, 2003--The U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
and the Corpus Christi Zoological Association, a licensed
animal exhibitor doing business as the Corpus Christi Zoo,
have agreed to a consent decision and order regarding
violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
Corpus Christi Zoo admitted violating the AWA.
In their settlement with
USDA, the zoo agreed to a license revocation and a complete
divestiture of
their animals no later than Dec. 15.
The AWA requires that regulated individuals
and businesses provide animals
with care and treatment according to the standards established
by APHIS.
Animals protected by the law must be provided with adequate
housing,
handling, sanitation, food, water, transportation, veterinary
care and
shelter.
The law covers animals that are sold as pets
at the wholesale level,
transported in commerce, used for biomedical research or used
for
exhibition purposes. |
