CAPS exposes Dartmoor Wildlife Park
Archive - November 2001

UPDATE: Zoo boss guilty of illegally breeding animals - Ellis Daw, the owner of Dartmoor Wildlife Park, has pleaded guilty to breeding Siberian Tigers illegally and keeping them in unsuitable conditions.

Dartmoor Wildlife Park make much of their income through supplying animals for promotional and film work.

In October, following complaints from many locals and tourists concerned about conditions, CAPS paid another visit to Dartmoor Wildlife Park in Devon. This zoo featured in our video 'Sad Eyes and Empty Lives' and we already had many concerns about the zoo.

Our investigator noted so many problems, with both animal welfare and health and safety, that a 13-page report was produced, complete with 38 colour photographs. The full report is available online here.

Amongst the findings of this Report are:

• the zoo appears poorly run with little consideration given to the needs of the animals
• the site looked shabby and there were putrid smells in many areas
• there appeared to be no attempt to provide enrichment or a stimulating environment for the animals
• signs warning of animals that may bite, or asking visitors not to feed animals were faded and many difficult to read
• visitors, particularly children, were at risk from possible injury caused by lack of stand-off barriers, inadequate barriers and other health and safety problems
• two 8-day old Jaguar cubs were brought into a 'hands-on' session for children to see.

We were also greatly concerned about the zoo's history of hand-rearing animals, particularly big cats, who are then used for public display, not only at the zoo but at local schools and shopping centres.

The report was sent to the Council and media and resulted in extensive local media coverage - TV, newspapers and radios all covered our expose.

We have called on the Council to revoke the zoo's license because of the large number of long-term problems with the zoo.

As a result of our Report we have been inundated with letters, phone calls and emails from people with similar concerns about the zoo. These people have given us lots of information about conditions and incidents spanning several years.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

	Find out more - read the full report here.
	Contact South Hams Council asking them to revoke the zoo's license: Environment and Development Services Group, South Hams District Council, Follaton House, Plymouth Rd, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5NE. Tel: 01803 861234, email: environmental.health@south-hams-dc.gov.uk.
	If you would like to help with local campaigning in the area please contact us.
	If you have any information about Dartmoor Wildlife Park - perhaps you have worked there, or know people that do - please contact us. We will treat your information with confidentiality.
	Become a CAPS supporter - you can help to make a difference.

Photographs © Captive Animals Protection Society