Close Down Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia For Proven Animal Cruelty

Please sign and share this petition everywhere on all media sites in an effort to get this roadside zoo closed down immediately due to undercover finding by the Humane Society of the United States. Their investigation presented video footage to substantiate their allegations of horrific abuse and cruelty of the animals, especially tiger infants and cubs. As in a previous case with another alleged abusive zoo, we are asking that this zoo in Virginia be closed down immediately and the owners be held accountable to severe charges, punishment and a ban on animal businesses, ownership or care.

An undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States, a national animal protection group came up with some critical video footage of animal abuse and cruelty at the Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia along with another roadside zoo, targeted in a separate petition. The video footage clearly states and substantiates the abuse and cruelty of the animals, predominantly tiger cubs and newborn infants as follows;

• Cruelty to tiger cubs through exploitation in order to photograph them, over breeding of tigers, out of control trading of cubs for public interaction, dumping the cubs when they were no longer profitable
• Infant tigers are forcibly and immediately taken from their mothers after birth and used for photo shoots, petting, being fed and played with by the public for a fee; fees ranging from $50 to $1,000 per session
• Obvious distress and handling of the baby tigers by handlers and employees. Owners could be heard telling their employees not to "tell the USDA a f.... thing."
• Baby tigers show signs of being overheated, tired, hungry and even sick; yet they are required to sit still while the public parades by for a fee. It's all about money and no regard for the animals.
• Horrific and free breeding of big cats for the exploitation of their young
• Discarding the young when too large and no longer profitable
• Starving or inappropriately feeding these young cubs with the belief that it would make the baby more tractable during photo sessions. The veterinarian at this zoo had concerns of the infant's leg bones due to a lack of proper nourishment

read more about these roadside zoos at - http://affectmagazine.com/2015/02/baby-tigers-abused-the-dark-secret-of-roadside-zoos/

After the full investigation, Mr. Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of the HSUS made a statement saying that “Our investigations revealed never-before seen abuse, neglect, and the over breeding that goes on behind the scenes at these tiger cub handling operations. We must put an end to this dangerous and cruel business." We need to support the HSUS in an effort to shut down this roadside zoo by signing and sharing this petition nationwide on all your media sites as we also make an attempt to get the owners held accountable with severe punishment and a ban from all animals.