Town: Suffolk DA to probe allegations of animal neglect at Holtsville zoo

Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico announced Monday the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office will conduct a probe into allegations of animal neglect at the Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve.

The announcement followed exclusive coverage by Newsday on allegations of neglect based on interviews with seven former assistant animal caretakers, who also provided a 120-page document describing what they called dozens of examples of neglect.

"We're calling this press conference to announce that we've asked the Suffolk County district attorney to look into the allegations of neglect that we all read about unfortunately this morning in Newsday," Supervisor Dan Panico said at a 12:30 p.m. news conference. "We've chosen the district attorney because we want the investigation to be independent and to show how serious we take these allegations. We like everyone, love animals, have zero tolerance for any type of neglect. However, I want to reiterate that these are only allegations."

The district attorney's office said in a statement Monday: “We don’t confirm or deny investigations are taking place.”

The town owns the zoo, which Brookhaven's highway department operates. The facility has more than 100 injured or non-releasable wild animals and farm animals, including a coatimundi, emus, foxes, a bobcat, birds of prey, cows and chickens.

Panico said in a statement before the news conference he would outline measures the town "is taking to protect animal welfare and ensure full transparency."

Former zoo employees told Newsday animals have been kept in filthy enclosures, animals' medical problems were ignored for weeks and surgical procedures were performed without anesthetic by staff who lacked formal veterinary training or licenses.

Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro previously told Newsday all care of the animals "is performed by, under the direction of, or approved by, a licensed veterinarian."

He also said those opposed to zoos "should be honest and make that philosophical argument instead of resorting to slander and defamation."

Many of the former employees who came forward to report their concerns said they hoped the animals could be sent to accredited sanctuaries.

“I feel that sanctuaries, and the standards they are held to, are most ideal for unreleasable wildlife,” Cayleigh Kunnmann, one of the former employees said in a text Monday.
John Di Leonardo, the president of the animal welfare group Humane Long Island, said he has secured placement in accredited sanctuaries for all the animals at the zoo.

With Shari Einhorn

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