PETA asked city officials to permanently close the Spring River Zoo in Roswell after loose dogs fatally injured four animals.
"The numerous fatalities and escapes at Spring River show that it either can't or won't provide animals with necessary care," Brittany Peet, PETA Foundation's general counsel for captive animal law enforcement, said, according to KRQE. "It's high time for the local or federal government to shut down this miserable roadside zoo and send the animals to reputable facilities before the body count gets any higher."
Three dogs recently dug under a fence at the zoo, KRQE reported. They killed three Barbary sheep and a wallaby. Roswell city officials said barriers were placed into the ground to prevent a similar incident from happening. That is not good enough for PETA – officials with the organization pointed out that this is the latest in a long list of problems at the zoo, which received several federal citations as early as 2013. An elk had to be put down last year after its leg got stuck in a broken fence.
"Spring River Zoo has taken appropriate action to rectify and/or improve its facilities each time an issue has come up regarding its animals," a statement provided to KRQE by the zoo and the city of Roswell read. "In addition, the zoo is continually planning and implementing new measures and care to protect the welfare of the animals ... PETA has issued many statements through the years as part of its continual effort to get the zoo closed. The city of Roswell and Spring River Zoo have no expectations that PETA's campaign against the zoo will stop. However, zoo and city staff remain dedicated to always work to provide the best care for the animals and improve the zoo for the animals and community."
