NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. – Authorities seized a third giraffe from the Natural Bridge Zoo just after 9:45 a.m. Thursday. This all according to a livestream by the zoo of the capture.
This comes as questions continue to mount on the whereabouts of the giraffes that have already been taken, and where the two calves born last month are located.
10 News learned today that one of the female giraffes, taken Tuesday, was sent to Georgia Safari Conservation Park in Madison, Ga. Officials there say the giraffe is “currently under a preliminary observation period under the supervision of the Park’s expert Husbandry and Veterinary teams to ensure she comfortably acclimates to her new surroundings. Throughout this observation period, the giraffe will be acclimated to the Park’s state-of-the-art, 10,000-square-foot Giraffe and Rhino Barn, where she will join the Park’s other giraffes.”
Attorneys for zoo owner and giraffe caretaker Gretchen Mogensen did not have a comment when contacted by 10 News today. In a Facebook comment Thursday morning, they said that the actions of the veterinarians participating in the seizure are endangering one of the giraffes named Valentine.
“Their actions having put her (Valentine) in immediate threat of life, safety and health at this point. They are proceeding still.” the Zoo said.
The Virginia Animal Owners Alliance echoed these remarks.
“The seizure was illegal and contrary to Virginia law. Running a giraffe for 7 hours amounts to animal cruelty. It is a travesty that no one from Rockbridge County, the State Police, the Department of Wildlife Resources, or the United States Department of Agriculture would intervene. Valentine was exhibiting all the signs of capture myopathy, but the State’s Animal Law Unit chose not to provide vet care and continued to push her. Valentine needs to be diverted to a vet clinic and the individuals involved need to be charged with animal cruelty. This is a stain on the Attorney General’s Office,” the Alliance said in a statement.
Bob Tubbs, however, disagrees. He’s the Founder and Advocate for Virginia Animal Protections and says the Attorneys General’s office wouldn’t have gotten involved unless they had cause and that the state is right in taking them.
“We support the process. We trust that the process will be fair and hope that in the end, the animals will be the winners.” Tubbs said.
Currently one giraffe remains at the zoo. In a comment on their Facebook livestream, the zoo says the state will be back tomorrow for the last adult giraffe.
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