What To Do When You See Animal Abuse
This past weekend we had an experience that I would classify as one of the most horrific things I’ve ever seen.
We were driving back to Idaho from a film shoot in Colorado. We stopped at a gas station to switch drivers.
And we saw something so incredibly sad.
The gas station had a petting zoo.
The Petting Zoo
In a tiny little enclosure, there were about 10 sheep, alpacas, and donkeys.
Just a few of the animals. You can see their hay feeder is completely empty.
The ground was all dirt and mud, and filled with poop.
Their hay feeder was completely empty, and I didn’t see a source for water at all.
There was a tiny little shed that could fit at most 3 individuals. So in case of inclement weather, only 30% of the animals could seek shelter.
The animals were just standing around, doing nothing.
A sheep just standing around with nothing to do. You can see he was improperly sheered, as well. He had to brave the harsh Idaho winter with only half a coat.
Many of them would stand at the edge of the fence and just look off into the distance.
A donkey staring off into the distance. You can see his overgrown hooves.
There was trash inside the enclosure, and the two donkeys were fighting over eating a Gatorade wrapper. They actually both had it in their mouths and were tugging for the other to let go.
Luckily, they were doing this close to the fence and I was able to snatch the wrapper away from them so they couldn’t eat it.
The donkeys’ hooves were completely overgrown - they hadn’t been trimmed in months. The hooves were curling upwards, making it difficult to walk.
Hoofed animals require regular trims. Donkeys, in particular, should ideally have DAILY hoof care (cleaning and trimming.) You can see his hooves haven’t been trimmed in months.
The owners of the gas station make money from people paying to pet and feed these animals, and then they don’t even provide proper care.
We were appalled.
I reported this to the local sheriff’s department.
And it just got worse and worse.
Before I tell you about my conversation with the deputy sheriff, there’s something you should know.
State Regulations
The Animal Legal Defense Fund is a nonprofit that seeks to help animals by working within the legal system to improve protections for animals and harshen punishments for abusers. They also provide information for the general public to raise awareness about laws and regulations surrounding animal welfare.
Every year, they publish state rankings based upon current laws that protect, or do not protect, animals.
Idaho ranks 47th.
Basically, in the state of Idaho, you can do whatever you want to farmed animals. Essentially, as long as they don’t die from neglect, no law is broken.
But then you can turn around and intentionally slaughter them. So really, anything goes.
Response from the Sheriff’s Department
These are my contemporaneous notes from my discussion with the deputy sheriff. We spent 30 minutes on the phone. I went through every possible detail of abuse and neglect, and these were his responses.
The sheriff’s department has received complaints about this place before. Approximately once per year, mostly by people who live out of state that are just driving through. Gone out to inspect every time they receive a complaint
Went out as recently as 1 month ago to inspect them
Check up on them regularly because it’s part of their jurisdiction
Not indicative of “animal abuse” for idaho code 25.3504
Doesn’t meet all the elements for animal abuse
The animals maintain body weight
Not starving to death
Not freezing to death
Never had a casualty from the elements
Alpacas and donkeys “built for cold weather” so no issue (they can be left out in blizzards and doesn’t matter)
The owner has the right to not provide care
No law that requires hoof trimming or regular basic care
Laws geared toward sale of animals and transportation of animals not care of animals
If the animal doesn’t have food, water, or is losing weight that is where it crosses into criminal behavior
Hard to document that abuse
The courts are not going to enforce hoof trimmings
Observing n0 food doesn’t count for anything (only matters if they look like they’re starving)
Doesn’t matter that there is trash in there and that they’re eating it. Out of our control.
“Definitely not ideal”
Square footage per animal: if they’re getting enough food and water it doesn’t matter how much space they have
Adequate shelter not required for all animals
Don’t know what they’re classified/zoned as
They’re not breaking any laws. Not considered animal abuse by the state of Idaho
They have a right to keep the animals and do whatever they want as long as they’re “healthy” - basically just not dying
I was surprised to find out that the sheriff’s department is well aware of this place. They get regular complaints and frequently go out and inspect it.
The deputy sheriff said multiple times that it is certainly not an ideal situation and he sympathizes with my complaints. But under Idaho law, there is nothing he can enforce.
He said that he would go out and inspect it after our call. I asked him to call me back and report what he saw.
He said he would only call me back if he saw “something crazy.” But if it was the same as always, he wouldn’t call me back because his opinion wouldn’t have changed from our original conversation.
He never returned my call.
It’s amazing how something that is so clearly abusive is not recognized as such by the law.
Anyone who sees this place knows that it is wrong. Even the deputy sheriff.
But it is quite literally written into the law that some lives don’t deserve protection.
Federal Regulations
The Animal Welfare Act of 1966 clearly states that federal welfare laws do not apply to farmed animals:
“The AWA, which became law in 1966, does not cover every type of animal used in every type of activity. The following animals are not covered: farm animals used for food or fiber (fur, hide, etc.); coldblooded species (amphibians and reptiles); horses not used for research purposes; fish; invertebrates (crustaceans, insects, etc.); or birds, rats of the genus Rattus, and mice of the genus Mus that are bred for use in research. Birds (other than those bred for research) are covered under the AWA but the regulatory standards have not yet been established.”
Our federal laws clearly send the message: some lives don’t matter.
Paul Farmer once said, “The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.”
And this gas station petting zoo and the sheriff department’s apathy is the perfect embodiment of all that is wrong with the world.
Because the sheriff’s department won’t do anything to stop this abuse, I’ve been in touch with PETA to try and get something done. I’ve sent all the documentation to PETA and they are working on taking action.
What can you do to help?
This is the gas station’s information:
Sublett Fuel Stop
2970 E 1400 South Rd
Malta, ID 83342
Email the local newspaper urging them to do a story on Sublett Fuel Stop to put pressure on the sheriff’s department: production@theweeklymailer.com
Email Idaho Humane Society and urge them to take action: info@idahohumanesociety.org
Anytime you see animal abuse or neglect, report it to local authorities. Even if they can’t do anything, a history of complaints is important whenever action is eventually taken.