Dozens of Animals Taken From Virginia Roadside Zoo as Part of Investigation

Published on December 11, 2023

NATURAL BRIDGE, Va.—Over 100 animals—both living and dead—have been taken from a roadside zoo in western Virginia, according to court documents, as part of what state authorities are calling a criminal investigation. One search warrant executed Wednesday at the Natural Bridge Zoo in Rockbridge County shows that 89 living animals were seized, while another 28 deceased animals were removed, The Roanoke Times reported. The office of Attorney General Jason Miyares is conducting the investigation, with help from the Virginia State Police. The warrant said that it had been issued in relation to the care of and cruelty to animals. The attorney general’s “Animal Law Unit offers support and prosecution of animal cruelty cases upon request of a local Commonwealth’s Attorney or law enforcement agency,” Mr. Miyares’s spokesperson Victoria LaCivita said in an email Friday. “Because this is an ongoing criminal investigation, we cannot comment further.”...