Arrests have been made in relation to allegations of animal cruelty inside a local zoo, and a national animal rights organization says they’re not surprised, as WFIR’s Conner Arthur reports:
NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. – The animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is applauding a Rockbridge County grand jury’s decision to indict five people connected to the Natural Bridge Zoo on dozens of animal cruelty and forgery charges.
The indictments include 55 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and eight felony counts of forgery. They were issued against current zoo owner Gretchen “Sasha” Mogensen, former owners Karl and Deborah Mogensen, former elephant trainer Mark Easley, and former attending veterinarian Dr. Ashley Spencer. The charges stem from a December 2023 raid by the Attorney General’s Animal Law Unit and Virginia State Police, during which nearly 100 living animals were seized along with dead animals and body parts.
“PETA applauds these indictments and remains deeply concerned about Asha the elephant, who is feared to be suffering in isolation in yet another decrepit roadside zoo, and the two missing baby giraffes,” said PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch in a statement.
A History of Concern
According to PETA, the indictments follow decades of citations and tens of thousands of dollars in civil penalties issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture against the facility. Debbie Metzler, managing director of captive wildlife for the PETA Foundation, said the public is turning its back against keeping “animals in dingy cages.”
Court documents supporting the 2023 raid described alleged mistreatment of an elephant named Asha, who was transferred to a Florida facility just before the raid. A confidential informant told authorities the elephant often stood in her own urine and feces and was jabbed with a bullhook, a sharp implement used to instill fear.
The case has also drawn national attention to two baby giraffes who went missing from the facility. Gretchen Mogensen has been jailed since October on a contempt of court charge for refusing to reveal their location. PETA, in partnership with actress Alicia Silverstone, is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the giraffes.
Prompting Legislative Change
The situation at the Natural Bridge Zoo has reportedly inspired new legislation in the Virginia General Assembly. According to Metzler, House Bill 112 and Senate Bill 344 were introduced in response to the zoo’s practices. The companion bills would prohibit the premature separation of wild baby mammals from their mothers before they are four months old.
Court records show Karl and Deborah Mogensen were arrested Tuesday and released on bond. Gretchen Mogensen remains in custody. An arrest warrant was issued for Dr. Spencer, and Easley was listed as a fugitive.
A Call to Action
PETA emphasized the broader implications of the case, urging the public to reconsider visiting similar attractions.
“PETA thanks the Office of the Attorney General for its years-long pursuit of this case,” Nachminovitch said. “And urges everyone to avoid roadside zoos as if lives depend on it—because they do.”
