The legal case surrounding the Natural Bridge Zoo took another turn Wednesday in Rockbridge County Circuit Court. Zoo owner, Gretchen “Sasha” Mogensen, was found guilty of contempt of court for failing to allow state investigators access to her property on three separate occasions in April.

A lengthy legal battle over the future of animals currently housed at the Natural Bridge Zoo hit a new front Tuesday, as authorities seized one of the zoo’s giraffes after failing to do so on Monday.

Natural Bridge Zoo’s former owners will appear in court on Monday afternoon for continued post-trial motions, following a decision in March that found the state was justified in seizing 71 of the 100 animals they took during a search last December.

Natural Bridge Zoo appeared in court on Thursday for post-trial motions, after a decision in March that found that the state was justified in seizing 71 of the 100 animals they took during a search last December.

A jury has decided the state was justified in seizing 71 out of 100 animals they took during a search at Natural Bridge Zoo last December.

The trial to determine the fate of the animals seized from Natural Bridge Zoo began on Monday with jury selection.

The Natural Bridge Zoo appeared in court on Wednesday, as both the zoo and state are appealing a judge’s ruling that only a little over half of about 100 animals seized from the zoo during a raid by the state in December was justified.

A decision on whether the seizure of animals at Natural Bridge Zoo was justified could be made by a judge next week, meanwhile, the lead attorney on the case is questioning the credibility of the state’s Animal Law Unit.

Natural Bridge Zoo owners appeared in court for the first time following an investigative search that resulted in the seizure of just under 100 animals about two weeks ago.