A years-long battle between a controversial southern Indiana roadside zoo and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ended in a victory for animal rights, as a judge revoked the zoo’s permit to exhibit warm-blooded animals, including two of the establishment’s main attractions, bears and big cats.
More than 120 violations — some dating as far back as 2012 — were considered in the lawsuit against Timothy Stark’s organization, Wildlife in Need. Stark was accused of providing inadequate care for sick and dying animals, falsifying documents, abusing and threatening government officials, and even killing several creatures.
Stark’s most egregious confirmed allegation came when he “euthanized” a leopard cub by beating the poor animal to death with a baseball bat. This isn’t the only tragedy to allegedly happen at Stark’s facility. The list of animals who needlessly died while in his care is extensive, according to USA Today. In 2013, for example, an ocelot was strangled to death in a “caging accident.” Days later, Stark allegedly administered Benadryl to a kangaroo for swollen feet instead of taking him to a veterinarian. Sadly, the poor creature died.
A veterinarian who testified on behalf of the USDA stated that Stark was a threat to the agency’s personnel, substantiating the complainant’s allegations that the defendant interfered with the zoo officials’ ability to carry out inspections on multiple occasions by “verbally abusing, harassing and threatening” them.
Stark, who represented himself after his lawyer recently withdrew from the case, was found guilty of violating the Animal Welfare Act. He has 35 days to appeal the decision and stated his intention to do so in a heated interview with WDRB, despite admitting that some of the allegations against him are true. In the meantime, he says he’ll continue running his zoo as usual.
Too often, captive big cats suffer at the hands of abusive or unqualified caretakers. More must be done to protect these innocent creatures. If you haven’t already, please sign LFT’s petition urging Congress to pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
SIGN: Save Tigers and Lions from Miserable Captivity As ‘Pets’
The jerk deserves the same punishment he gave the poor defenseless tiger cub. Beat him to death with a baseball bat.
Please do everything within your control to keep all animals safe. Many thanks for the care you give.
Animals should be safe and loved, cruelty needs to STOP!
Fuck you timothy stark!!!!!!!!!
Please stop the abuse and his beautiful defenseless animals we need to be there advocate
Justice needs to prevail here. Put the bastard in a cell with an unfriendly, psychotic and murderous inmate. I hope that cowardly punk gets the crap beaten out of him and perhaps before taking his last breath, he’d remember the evil he did to that cub and repent. This is retribution and karma.
No. appeal. Fling the monster in jail (preferably with a hungry rapist).
BASTARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Justice or officials need replaced. FB wipe me off again?
Justice or officials need replaced. FB wipe me off again?
Justice or officials need replaced.
Justice or officials need replaced.
I am totally shocked to read the article, cause the USDA knew this & is dealing with this same man since very long time now, in regards to the Animal cruelty issues. YET they were spineless & unable to STOP this evil mans torture, mistreatments & murder of the defenseless animals who lives under his care? SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS SO CALLED ‘USDA”s existence then? Just to grab the tax payers dollars & to fend for themselves? I just don’t get it.
Charge this man to the fullest extent for the torture & murder he had done to the helpless creatures. It is time to implement new measures. MAKE ANIMAL ABUSE A FELONY.
This man, Timothy Stark SHOULD BE FINED & JAILED FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. If left to walk the streets he would do this again. This man is pure cruel violent individual & the only place for him is behind bars. PLEASE PROTECT THE VULNERABL FROM THIS MONSTER ASAP.
We have a PSYCHO in our midst — throw the IDIOT Timothy Stark into a rubber room — WHO DOES this! — this SICKO will repeat his merciless horrors against Animals unless we STOP him NOW – We NEVER want repeats of these crimes — Let’s get some STIFF laws on the books and ENFORCE them — WHAT KIND of GOVT & SOCIETY would allow for such torturous suffering & death to Animals? —- YET, there go the IMBECILE-KLLERS — continuing with their unconscionable, sadistic EVIL to Animals without batting an eye — WHO do they think they are — THROW Timothy Stark in prison and SHUT DOWN his Organization.
Sorry, this comment is neither peaceful nor family friendly, but here’s the solution: Toss Timothy Stark in jail & have his cellmates “euthanize” him by beating him to death with a baseball bat.
Le zoo de la HONTE !!!!!!!
Please shut down this animal’s zoo and place these defenseless wildlife in a loving, caring refuge! This guy has no compassion for it’s animals welfare!
Whoever it it is who is torturing and killi gtje animals at the Indiana zoo needs to punished to the MAXX..First start by beating him like he did to that defenseless young kitten cub then put them into a FIRE pit and BURN this animal who has killed so many defenseless animals.
Stop cruelty to all animals!
Stop abusing and neglecting,all farm animals.
WE DO HAVE MANY WAYS TO STOP ALL OF THESE CRUEL , UNHEALTHY, AND SICK ACTIONS GOING ON IN THE FARMING, WILDLIFE , SLAUGHTER HOUSES, ZOOS, UNIVERSITIES , WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION NOW, AND END THESE SICK ACTS GOING ON NOW THIS ISN’T WHAT AMERICA IS ABOUT
Why isn’t this disgusting, low life, sad excuse of a person in jail? That’s what I would like to know.
GOOD! FINALLY. IT’S NOT ABOUT PADDING SOMEONES POCKETS!
Great. Bit too late though for many. RIP poor cub.
I hope the piece of shit who did this gets the the shit beat out of him and rots in fkn hell!
Put this man behind bars now to keep him away from the roadside zoo! He cannot be allowed to do this to innocent animals! These animals deserve to be free, or at a sanctuary so they will be safe.
All animals deserve to be treated with respect and love. They have just as much of a right to be here as we do. They don’t deserve to be abused for any reason.
Cruelty needs to STOP!
Setting up roadside zoos or “sanctuaries” are ways of facilitating sadistic violence and cruelty against other species, attempting to conceal it in plain sight. Thank you to all those who’ve worked so hard to put a stop to this, although I’m afraid it’s unlikely to stop Mr Stark from pursuing any other ways he can find to act out his brutal and violent pathology. I wonder why he ended up like this.
Wait! He’s allowed to keep the zoo open even though he’s admitted to strangling and beating animals? OK so I’m questioning the intelligence of the higher ups in this case
is everyone in the world missing every ounce of common sense–how in the world can they be soooo stupid and have o compassion for anything other than themselves—why dont we just act up and beat the living daylights out of them for years–lets see how they like it–if you aint trying to fix this sick problem –then your part of the freakiproblem just as much as them
These big sAnimals need to be set free in a sanctuary where there free to roam with there own kind !! They should not be caged !!
These big sAnimals need to be set free in a sanctuary where there free to roam with there own kind !! They should not be caged !!
So why does USDA useless as one balled on the kenyan, did nothing for 8 yrs!
And why has this useless sub human pos, not been charged for animal abuse, like our new fed law which guarantees a minimum, time in jail. Give me 100% immunity and I will ensure this sub human pos will wish his mommy knew how to use the hanger to abort him.
he says in was not him others say it was him well in dubio pro reo just means well then it wqas them and not him so a solution has to be found and the zoo stopped but therefore that i know some actions if euthanasia is the help well then those signing should get informed … it happened in the zoo and it has to get stopped … therefore that benadrylis not the most dangerous medicine not that the witness administered sth else just sad the that he does not let anyone investigate ever andthat the poor animal was dead later on… euthanasia is not the solution no new animals and step by step finding them homes in zoos or giving the zoo to someone else but if euthanasia was the solution that is worse bcs he kept the number of dead animals smaller then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope Stark gets the jailtime he deserves. Too bad so many poor creatures already suffered and died in his care
It aint going to be friendly. I hope the scumbag loses his license. Who is he to kill the animals? He aint God. I hope before he leaves here he suffers real hard.If he treats animals like that,what would he do with a human.
I HATE ALL ANIMAL ABUSERS IF I COULD HAVE ONE WISH THEN I WISH THEY ALL DIE IN EXTREME AGONY FOR THE CRUELTY THEY INFLICT ON INNOCENT ANIMALS I WOULD BURN THE MOTHER FUCKERS I HATE THE BASTARDS AND PRAY THEY WILL BE PUNISHED SIGHNED COLIN AHMED UK
Stark should not be permitted to keep animals at zoo due to his agregious record of animal cruelty, negligence and abuse. He should be placed on a register, that bann him from keeping animals, for life. Animals are living feeling beings in thier own right and deserve care and compassion, and regard, not cruel abuse. They are not disposable objects.
Please stop this cruel & inhumane treatment!!! They are beautiful animals that deserve to be free!