Primate exhibitor charged under AWA Chatsworth, CA (US) Incident Date: Wednesday, Jul 23, 1997 County: Los Angeles Local Map: available Disposition: USDA Citation Persons of Interest: » Anna Cox » Lamont Cox

Case ID: 6039 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: captive exotic View more cases in CA (US) Login to Watch this Case

On September 26, 1997, the U.S. Department of Agriculture charged licensed animal exhibitors Lamont and Anna Cox, doing business as The Lion in Chatsworth, Calif., with violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

"These are serious charges," said W. Ron DeHaven, acting deputy administrator for animal care with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a part of USDA's marketing and regulatory programs mission area. "The mental health of non-human primates is an essential part of their overall well-being. The AWA requires that license holders provide a plan that promotes psychological enrichment and in the Coxes' case, that plan was lacking."

APHIS inspectors found that the Coxes failed to:

-- Maintain complete records showing the acquisition, disposition, and identification of animals;

-- Maintain a written program of disease control and prevention, euthanasia, and adequate veterinary care under the supervision and assistance of a doctor of veterinary medicine;

-- Provide sufficient shade to allows animals to protect themselves from direct sunlight;

-- Clear weeds and brush that surrounded the enclosure on four sides, presenting a fire hazard and a habitat for snakes;

-- Construct the surfaces of housing facilities for nonhuman primates in a manner that allow them to be readily cleaned and sanitized, or removed or replaced when worn or soiled;

-- Develop, document, and follow an appropriate plan for environmental enhancement adequate to promote the psychological well-being of nonhuman primates;

-- Notify APHIS of additional sites; and

-- Place food in receptacles so as to minimize contamination.

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USDA  - September 26, 1997

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