After more than a year regarding allegations of abuse and neglect at the Holtsville Wildlife & Ecology Center’s zoo by former employees and animal welfare groups, the Brookhaven Town Board voted unanimously to pass the $367.2 million budget on Nov 20, effectively requiring its closure.
During a number of town board meetings, some supporters wanted the zoo to remain open; others advocated for the animals’ transfer to facilities for better care and management.
Run by Brookhaven’s Highway Department, the closing will save taxpayers about $2 million annually.
The town reportedly reached out to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as well as some animal sanctuaries looking into transfers and will remain open through December, then close in January. Officials have said zoo operations are funded until March until relocations. But questions from the Long Island Advance regarding what sanctuaries the town was in talks with for transferring the 130 animals and when exactly transfers would begin were forwarded first to Brookhaven Town supervisor Dan Panico, then shuttled to the Highway Department.
The Highway Department did not comment as of press time.
In an email, the New York State DEC said their Wildlife Special License Unit had been in correspondence with the town of Brookhaven since late October and provided a list of 12 currently licensed facilities that might be able to take some of the species and help ensure proper care.
“These are not sanctuaries; they are facilities licensed by DEC for exhibition of regulated species,” the email said. “Not all species at the center are under state jurisdiction. DEC regulates specific species of animals currently housed at the Holtsville Ecology Center.
“Species requiring a DEC permit, which Holtsville has, include: Eurasion lynx, eastern bobcat, birds of prey (bald eagle, red-tailed hawks, various owls), turkey vulture, Canada goose, mallards, sandhill crane, white-tailed deer, red fox, gray fox, Arctic fox, wolf hybrid (2), North American porcupine, woodchuck.
“The DEC will continue to provide options for transfer facilities or confirm whether a facility is authorized to obtain various regulated species at the request of the town, but the town remains the lead for identifying the facilities and transferring the animals.”
Humane LI president John Di Leonardo and Jessica Chiarello, senior animal care technician, licensed wildlife rehabilitator and hospital supervisor at the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center—and who worked with Di Leonardo collecting evidence via interviews with several former employees last year as well as photos that alleged neglect in a 120-page document presented to the town several times—blew the whistle initially on the issues. Both met with town officials on several occasions offering to place the animals and attended many town board meetings.
Di Leonardo was asked if the town has tasked them yet with any transfers.
“No, they haven’t taken us up on our offer yet,” Di Leonardo said. “We’ve gone to several town meetings over the last year and restated our offer and also emailed the entire town board over the last voting decision telling them we stand ready.”
Di Leonardo commented on the DEC statement.
“[The town] has dragged their feet with the whole process,” he said candidly of the nearly two years since the allegations were initially disclosed. “A bobcat and a lynx should go to the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (accredits and recognizes sanctuaries and rescue centers and supports them to achieve the highest standards of excellence) and Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance. The crane should be transferred down South where it’s an appropriate climate; they are flock animals and need to be with their species.
“The town needs to be looking at which facilities can give them the specialized care they need. Critterville Farm Sanctuary in Riverhead is willing to give Lucy the bison as well as the goats a home. Evelyn Alexander, executive director Kathleen Mulcay and I are among many people who spoke with the town who are willing to home them and have said so at meetings.”
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office was asked if there was a released report after supervisor Panico turned the issue over to their office.
According to an email from their press office, “There is no report to release, but we did respond to the town supervisor letting him know that the inquiry they referred to us was closed as our investigation found ‘no indication of criminal conduct at the Holtsville Center.’”
Di Leonardo disagreed. He pointed to incidents that included allowing animals to suffer from lead poisoning, staph infections, and osteomyelitis, and confining wild animals in such conditions that a cougar drowned, half a dozen parakeets died of exposure, and a bear was left to sway in distress. “These acts constitute abject cruelty,” he said. “An indictment from the district attorney isn’t required when the evidence is already overwhelming. It was more than enough for the town board to vote unanimously, 7-0, to shut this facility down before more animals met the same fate in full view of the public.”
District attorney Ray Tierney’s pro bono initiative, the Biological, Environmental and Animal Safety Team, or B.E.A.S.T., was initiated in April 2022, led by assistant district attorney Jed Painter, to address animal and environmental crimes, requiring assistant district attorneys on the team to meet with animal victims and personally contribute to environmental projects.
Numerous B.E.A.S.T. busts have taken place since its creation.
“Humane LI has been working with B.E.A.S.T.,” said Di Leonardo, “on cases involving hoarding and abuse. And we have taken custody of hundreds of animals in similar investigations this year alone—including more than 160 animals seized from Double D Bar Ranch in Brookhaven after the facility was charged with 112 counts of animal cruelty.”
Still, Di Leonardo said he was hopeful about the Ecology Center’s closing and upcoming animal transfers and welcomed the town’s vote. “I’m glad the animals now have a second chance at hopefully reputable sanctuaries and that they aren’t shuffled to roadside facilities,” he said.
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