Waccatee Zoo in Myrtle Beach to stay closed after years of allegations of animal abuse including denying food and water

A roadside zoo in the Myrtle Beach area has closed permanently after settling a federal lawsuit with PETA.

The nearly 35-year-old Waccatee Zoo has been dubbed “one of America’s worst roadside zoos” by the national animal rights group.

Last spring, PETA sued the zoo, accusing its operators of mistreating its animals in a variety of ways, including not providing them with enough food and water and forcing some to live in solitary confinement.

The zoo, which once housed 460 animals, closed last year due to the lawsuit.

As part of the settlement, zoo owners Kim and Jeff Futrell agreed to never reopen the attraction. They also agreed never to own or exhibit wild animals, raise pets, or work or volunteer at unaccredited zoos.

The case against the roadside zoo is now settled. PETA calls this deal a victory for animal rights

The zoo, which once housed 460 animals, closed last year due to the lawsuit.

Following the lawsuit, PETA released a statement: “This victory prevents Waccatee operators from again mistreating wild animals as they have done for decades. »

“PETA is thrilled to see survivors thriving in their new sanctuary and will continue to ask everyone to help us defend any animals still trapped in roadside zoos by never supporting such operations.”

Zoo owners have been accused of failing to provide proper veterinary care to one of their tigers, which led to their malnutrition and ultimately death.

The Futrells have denied all allegations of animal abuse,

The zoo’s parrots were reportedly confined to “crampy and unsanitary cages”, where they could barely spread their wings, let alone take off.

Two lions were locked in small cages, necessarily preventing them from engaging in activities like running and playing that are constituent of their species, according to PETA.

Additionally, PETA claimed that the Waccatee Zoo generated more than 150 complaints to its organization, the most of any zoo or attraction in the United States.

In 2020 and 2021, the zoo was fined several thousand dollars for violations discovered during the annual inspection by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Over the years, zoo photos regularly showed animals that appeared to be in pain. Some had severe injuries, while others appeared to be losing their hair or malnourished to the point that their skeletons were visible under their fur.

The zoo site is just a 10-minute drive from Doc Antle’s Myrtle Beach Safari, run by the Tiger King star who became famous for his questionable wildlife management on the property and featured in a Netflix documentary.

In June, Antle was convicted of multiple counts of wildlife trafficking and conspiracy to traffic wildlife. Although the Myrtle Beach Safari still seems to be operational.

Over the years, photos from the zoo regularly showed animals that appeared to be in pain.

Some had severe injuries, while others appeared to be losing their hair or malnourished to the point that their skeletons were visible under the fur and feathers.

The animals were reportedly kept in cages far too small for them – some were placed in solitary confinement.

The owners – Jeff and Kim Futrell – have agreed never to reopen the zoo, nor to run one again.

The owners of the zoo could not be contacted by DailyMail.com after news of its permanent closure was announced. Their lawyer stressed that his clients’ choice to settle does not constitute an admission of guilt.

“No court has ruled that my clients abused animals,” said Reese Boyd, the couple’s attorney.

He also disputed the accuracy of parts of PETA’s press release.

“If they want to call the captive bears, that’s no problem. The bears were in a zoo. If that means to you that the bears were captive, then fine. Could bears roam free on 707 and maim a toddler at 7-Eleven? No, they were behind bars,” he said.

Boyd filed a letter with the court last year explaining that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s license expired in September and his customers chose not to renew it.

“Due to ongoing expenses related to this litigation and other considerations, my client has determined that his only feasible option is to close the zoo and suspend operations,” the letter read.

Boyd claimed the zoo was nearing the end of its commercially viable lifespan even before the lawsuit, although the financial burden of litigation became difficult for patrons and was a factor in their decision to shut down the operation.

“Many generations of schoolchildren have grown up attending the Waccatee Zoo. It’s sad that the zoo is no longer there,” Boyd said, according to the Post and courier.