Federal judge rules Wildlife in Need violated Endangered Species Act

A federal judge said a southern Indiana zoo violated the Endangered Species Act when it declawed tiger cubs for its controversial "playtime" sessions with visitors. The judge made the determination against Wildlife in Need and owner Tim Stark on Tuesday after a lawsuit filed by an animal rights group. Now, a permanent injunction bars Wildlife in Need from declawing the cubs, separating them from their mothers or putting them on public display at the zoo. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which filed the suit in 2017, said it was asked by the judge to help find "reputable sanctuaries" for the cats. "What we're going to be looking for, and what we've lined up are, sanctuaries that are accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, which has the most stringent standards of any accrediting body for captive wildlife in the world," said Brittany Peet, with PETA's Captive Animal Law Enforcement. Stark can appeal the injunction. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill are also taking action against Wildlife in Need for other violations. In April, a USDA judicial officer ordered Stark to cease and desist operations at the zoo after it was determined that he had violated the Animal Welfare Act multiple times between January 2012 and January 2016. LINK